Titan
by Mensis Eclipse
Summary: The Turtles travel to outer space to retrieve a stolen artifact from April's shop. But they have no idea the story behind the priceless item or it's powers. And with a unpredictable ride on the Titan there is no guarantee that all will make it back alive.
1. Prologue

**AUTHOR'S NOTE- **Hey guys, long time no see! If any of you read my profile then this story is long over do! I warn you it's a bit similar to the last one the 'Inbetween.' Like the Inbetween was a TMNT version of Lovely bones, this will be the TMNT version of Titanic. Why can't I come up with my own darn plots? It might be a little confusing at first but just like the last one everything will be revealed over time. If you have any questions at all please feel free to send them in a review and I'll try me best to answer without spoiling them story. I have to admit here however I hope I can finish this, I got a really late start and to be honest I haven't seen TMNT for a while so I pray the turtles aren't too out of character. But without further a due here is the disclaimer.

**DISCLAIMER**_- _Do I own TMNT? Does anybody actually read the disclaimer?

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><p><em>First mate Tyson glanced at his notes and then back into the trillions of stars that lay before him. Behind him he could hear the barks and yells of his crew adjusting their sail and directions.<em>

_"Steady as she goes!" he cried back to his crew._

_Just then a bursting flash of blue soared right before Tyson's face. He jumped backwards and gasped. His eyes followed in wonder as the light blue temporarily eliminated the black sky then disappeared._

_Despite his desperate attempt to look experienced and wise towards his crew he couldn't help but smile for that was the closest encounter with a comet he had yet._

_Then thousands of blue flashes came raining down before them. It was a meteor shower Tyson soon figured out. They came down like rain drops in a frantic storm._

_Tyson spun around in circles just to get the fullest of this spectacular sight. Unfortunately he was oblivious of how much of fool he looked like._

_It was also just at that moment when the last being in his galaxy that he wanted to look like a fool in front of came walking up the sky deck. However even after glancing at Tyson's idiotic display there was no amusement to his face._

_"Alright you ladies speed it up! Come on catch those solar winds quicker. I want to go double the speed we're going now!" he screamed._

_Tyson spun around and slammed his fist to his breast in a solute._

_"Captain Triangulum!" he cried. "I was just..."_

_"Enough of your fooling around boy we have to get moving!" ___Triangulum___ urgently ordered._

_"If you pardon my asking sir, how come? We are perfectly on schedule, if we arrive any earlier_ _our clients won't be ready for the shipments!"_

__Triangulum_ glared at him. It was easy to tell from his first sentence that this was his first trip. Fresh, eager, innocence was spilling from Tyson, but he also reeked of ignorance. _

_"Don't you know where we are boy? Haven't you done your home work?"_

_Tyson pondered for a moment then said "Sector 743 sir?"_

_"Aye, or Sector Asteroid, there are more of em here then anywhere else in this galaxy."_

_"So then shouldn't we be slowing down, to avoid them?" Tyson asked, very confused._

_Triangulum__ looked at him silently for a second, then he laughed. _

_"Oh my boy! It's a good thing you've journeyed on the Astral Light with me as your captain!" _

_Astral Light was the fastest trade ship in the galaxy _Triangulum_._ _And that was an impressive record considering there were millions of trade ships. Their job was to exchange goods from all over the galaxy. _

_ A normal space trade ship looked like an Earth sea ship. Except the trade ships had special sails to capture the solar wind, also a protective force field around the ship to protect them from radiation, cold and suction of space. _

_The Astral Light was ten times bigger than any other ship ever made, making it the size of a planet._ _It also has the capability of traveling at light speed, making it the only ship that could. _

_Since it was such a magnificence of naval technology it was trusted with the most precious cargo in the galaxy, stardust. It was a substance the rulers of the sectors ordered and had the power to keep them immortal and on the throne for an infinite amount of time._

_Such desirable cargo was trusted in the hands of the most faithful and skillful sailors in the galaxy, such as Captain _Triangulum_. Whom was awarded the name after the galaxy because he had made the most successful voyages of any__ trade ship._

_"You see Tyson," _Triangulum_ explained. "Sector Asteroid is the prime hiding spot for ship jackers. No ship wants to float here for long. Especially the Astral Light. They probably know our course and our expecting us to come here right at this time."  
><em>

_Tyson scuffed "But we have aboard more then 500 missile launchers, not to mention an impenetrable force field, no one ship can take us out." _

_"You'd be surprised boy, especially if that ship was the right one."_

_Tyson still looked at him doubtfully._

_"Go to bed now son, don't you worry I'll make sure we stay safe." _Triangulum_ said with a wink and a smile._

_Tyson gave him a small smile back and headed back to his quarters._

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><p><em>Later that night <em>Triangulum<em> was taking a stroll along the sky deck still making sure his crew was working twice as fast. It was dangerous working them so hard without rest but they needed to get out of there as soon as possible._

_He frowned when he saw Tyson's figure sitting on the edge of the ship._

_"A little restless I see." he said coming up behind Tyson._

_Tyson jumped and looked back._

_"A little, far to much to sleep." he sighed._

_"It's best to keep your guard up, but you need rest if you want it to be strong when you need it most."_

_"What did you mean by the right ship sir?" Tyson finally spit out the longing question on his mind._

_"Argh there is only one space jackers ship in the galaxy that can take down the Astral, or one captain that is."_

_Tyson looked at him, worried, "Who?"_

_Triangulum narrowed his eyes and whispered "Red Sun."_

_Right at that moment the entire ship shook with a massive blast from the side._

_"We're being attacked Captain!" the watchman cried from his post._

_Triangulum jumped up "Tyson get to your quarters this will be brief!" he ordered._

_"I'm not leaving you!" Tyson protested._

_"That was an order!" he screamed._

_Then out of one particularity big asteroid came a ship, back as the sky. On the deck Tyson spotted a rather tall and massive figure. He had spikes shooting out of his back and forehead. His smile was smeared across his face with razor teeth so white they could be seen a mile away._

_The figure looked back at Tyson with soulless red eyes. Tyson gasped "Red sun." he whispered and backed away into hiding._

_"Shoot off the warning missiles, show them we mean business!" Triangulum ordered._

_10 missiles were shoot off and came a fair distance to the ship. It didn't even shake the captain however. He had his eyes on something else. Triangulum followed his glance and gasped._

_There were two massive asteroids, twice as big as the Astral coming on a collusion course right in front of their path. If they hit Astral would be trapped._

_"Fast as she goes!" He cried "Now!"_

_His crew desperately worked to get the ship moving but then they realized Red Sun's ship was right in front of their path._

_"We're going to run into them!" the navigator cried._

_Triangulum narrowed his eyes "Keep going." he ordered._

_The crew pushed away their hesitation and plunged forwards. Red Sun smiled and ordered "Run into them and send out the missiles!"_

_Dozens out missiles fired from the ship aiming for the force field generators. However the generators were to strong to be destroyed and were only shaken, however the crew's view was temporarily blinded in the flashing light._

_During that moment Red Sun ordered his ship to turn sideways towards the Astral. As soon as the crew could see again it was too late and they crashed into Red Sun's ship._

_In a moment's time the force field generators flickered then turned off. As soon as they did the entire crew under Red Sun jumped on board the Astral and attacked. In front of them the asteroids collided, sealing off the sole escape, and the fate of the lives of the crew.  
><em>

_The crew was no where near as skilled in fighting as Red Sun's were. Most of them only lasted a few sword clanks before being sliced._

_Red Sun walked on board, calmly as if taking a stroll. Explosions went off around him and murder screams were lost into space, but he had his sights set to the cargo, the stardust._

_"What's the matter Red Sun, don't I get a hello?" Triangulum smeared from behind him._

_Red Sun smiled."Ah Triangulum, I was worried this would be a hollow victory without your defeat."_

_"Hate to disappoint you but your plan fails here." he said bravely showing his sword._

_Swords in the Triangulum galaxy were made of meteor rock and took years to master. A skill which both Red Sun and Triangulum were equal._

_Red Sun smiled. "We'll see."_

_The two charged at each other. From above, hidden behind a sail Tyson watched in horror and shame._

_Red Sun flung his sword first which was narrowly dodged. Triangulum used the momentum to attack on Red Sun's other side. He slashed his sword at him which caused Red Sun to fall to the ground. Triangulum continued his attack but Red Sun kicked him before he could get another hit._

_Red Sun leaped up and charged at Triangulum while he was recovering from the blow. This time he slashed his across the face. Triangulum screamed in pain. Red Sun smirked._

_"Prepare to end your last voyage." he said walking towards him._

_Triangulum clenched his fists and charged towards Red Sun who tried to bring his sword up in defense but it was knocked off his hands._

_Triangulum pushed Red Sun up against a wooden wall of the ship and hissed in his ear while holding his sword to Red Sun's throat._

_"Take your crew and get off my ship!"_

_"I don't take orders from you." he responded._

_From above Tyson was the only one who could see the crew man sneaking up behind Triangulum._

_"Captain Triangulum behind you!" he desperately cried._

_The warning was too late and a sword was thrust into Triangulum's chest. His eyes widened then fell dead to the floor._

_"No!" Tyson screamed from above._

_He slashed off one of the ropes tied to thee sail and swung down to tackle Triangulum's murderer. He screamed and lifted his sword to strike. A strong set of claws however seized him before he could claim revenge._

_He screamed as Red Sun dug his claws into his back._

_"Foolish move boy." he hissed then thrust his sword through Tyson._

_He dropped him gasping for air. Blood was spilling from his chest when he weakly looked up at Triangulum. With a battle cry he lifted his sword towards Red Sun._

_Red Sun snatched the sword from him and once again pierced it through his body. He threw Tyson towards the wall and his body fell still, never to move again._

_Red Sun smiled "Fools." he said._

_By then the rest of the Astral's crew was also dead and the deck was swarming with Red Sun's._

_"Cabin boy!" Red Sun screamed._

_A scrawny boy with mucus green skin limped out of the old ship._

_"Clean their blood off my new ship." he sneered pointing towards the bodies of the captain and first mate._

_Then he turned around to inspect his treasure, also missing the boy's harsh glare at him._

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><p><strong>AUTHOR'S NOTE- <strong>Hey four somethings with shells are missing here. Don't worry dear readers the turtles will come next chapter, but please don't let the lack of turtles stop you from reviewing...or reading...please..._  
><em>


	2. Chapter 1

**AUTHOR'S NOTE- **Hey guys, alright now onto the turtles!

**DISCLAIMER- **I do not own the turtles nor plot to Titanic.

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><p>Mikey narrowed his eyes at the slimy river of sewer water before him. It was filling the bottom of the tunnel shaped path. There were no walkways here like in most places of the sewer. The walls were also slippery from fungi and slime.<p>

Well maybe there was a more scientific term for it that Mikey just couldn't think of.

Mikey rubbed his hand on one of the sides of the walls. They were immediately covered with a grease like something. _Perfect_, Mikey thought as he rubbed off his hand and onto his shell. Then he bent over and picked up a piece of wood covered with cracks and splinters, with four creaky wheels attached to it. No person who lived out of the sewer would have guessed that Mikey could use that plank of wood as a skateboard, but he did and treasured it at that.

The tunnel wasn't very far. It was just a divider of two paths of the sewer and Mikey could even see the path across from it. He guessed it 20ft long, at the most.

The water that filled it though was rancid. In fact it was the most disgusting, germ infected repulsive water in the sewer. And that's saying a lot for the sewers in New York. And the smell was over whelming, Mikey's eyes had watered when he gotten close.

The reason this water was fouler then it's competitors was a simple pipe leak from above. That pipe was a special one, the one that was stuck carrying most of the waste products of the people of New York.

Okay, so it wasn't one leak, it was practically raining from that single pipe.

This place had been considered the most disgusting part of the sewers by Mikey and his brothers years ago, and today Mikey was going to be the first to shred it's walls with his lucky skateboard.

Was it crazy? Insane. And the punishments for failure were unthinkable, but if he successfully did it, he would make history.

Mikey set down his skateboard and started to do some calculations. Not the kind of calculations Donnie would use, but some that would be beneficial to a skater.

After a minute of scoping the walls he came up with his plan. He jumped onto his skateboard and kicked very hard off the floor. He didn't give a moment's time before he kicked off again and again. By the time he reached the left side of the wall he was going a very fast speed.

He knelled down when his skateboard hit the wall and expertly kept control of it despite the slippery wall. With precise balance he kicked off the wall again as hard as he could and shot off the wall onto the roof of the tunnel to the other side of the wall.

Then as the right wall lead him closer and closer to the water he and his board leaped to the other side of the left wall and repeated the cycle twice more.

On the last spin through the tunnel Mikey was just about to jump to the other wall when his shell cell rang on his belt. He yelped and his speed was ruined, leaving him with an inevitable meeting with the water. His board began to plummet down but just then Mikey kicked off the last bit of wall he could reach.

His board slammed into the right wall and Mikey grasped it in his hand and then leaped to the solid ground just below. He ended up tumbling on the ground instead of making a successful landing earning himself a pretty nice scrape on his knee.

Mikey hardly noticed however and screamed of his success.

"HA! I knew I could do it! They all said I was a fool, that I would get wet but I did it! WOOOHOO! " he danced around holding his skateboard up high.

The ringing of his shell cell put an abrupt end to his celebration. He took it out and looked.

"Shell!" he cursed, stuffed his cell back into his belt and ran in the other direction.

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><p>It was a pretty good thing Mikey knew himself. How he always lost time when he was out skateboarding, and how that was the reason he was always late for training, which in turn was the reason why Master Splinter made him do more pull ups. That was why Mikey programmed a special alarm on his shell cell five minutes before training began at six.<p>

He had done the math last night. He had woken up at 5, snuck out, and skateboarded for an hour then had hopped for the best he'd be home in time for training.

He looked at the time, 5:57. He had exactly three minutes to sprint back to training and it took at least ten minutes to get home. Well by walking.

Mikey threw his skateboard on the ground and jumped on. He kicked the ground and set forward. The wind brushed against his face and then echoed his insane laughter.

He glanced at the time, two minutes. Luckily he knew a short cut to the layer. He took a sharp turn and headed toward a dark tunnel before him. Quickly he ducked and was plunged into pitch blackness. He only saw broken pipes in flashes of light that reminded him to keep his head close to the ground.

Then a light shone before him. He flew out of the dark hole and for a minute was suspended in mid air. Then gravity took its turn and he plunged back down to the ground. Mikey turned his skateboard so it would ride the side of one of the rounding walls.

He then swooped back on to flat land when he fall stopped short gaining lots of speed.

One minute left.

He kicked the ground as hard as he could and knelled down to pick up more speed. He narrowed his eyes and focused on the wall dead ahead. To foreign eyes it was a dead end, to Mikey it was his front door.

Ten seconds left.

If he was late once more his Sensai had told him, his video games would be thrown out. He shuttered at the thought and then shook it out, there was no way that was going to happen. As soon as he reached the pipes he yanked one of the three smaller ones and the wall opened.

3 seconds.

Mikey lunged in there to come into the layer on the second floor. He leaped off the balcony, did a mid air flip and landed right in front of the rest of his family precisely when his watch hit six.

"I'm here!" he cried, panting with skateboard in hand.

Then his three brothers brushed past him to the door.

"You're late." Leo snapped as he lead the way out.

"Shell brains." Raph mumbled as he followed Leo.

Mikey looked back at his brothers puzzled and irritated. "I'm not late! It's exactly six!" he said pointing to his shell cell.

Don ran over to him and examined it, then asked "Did you remember to reset it for daylight savings time?"

Mikey gave him a confused look. "Daylight savings time?" he asked.

Don sighed then ran out the door after Leo and Raph.

"Hey! Wait up, where are we going?" Mikey cried running after them.

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><p>April sat nervously looking out the window of her shop. She scanned the rooftops for even the slightest movement. It was broad daylight so it should have been easy to spot four ninja turtles hopping from roof to roof.<p>

And yet she gasped when she heard four sets of legs come up behind her.

"Guys!" she said swirling around, "Thank you for coming so fast!"

Leo stepped forward, "No problem April, we came as soon as we heard."

"Heard what?" Mikey cried "I didn't hear anything, why did we have to rush here?"

Raph and Don groaned and Leo explained, "April said that two goons stole a new artifact from her shop, she wanted us to come down and investigate."

"I would have called the police," she said, "but they take so long to get here and..."

"You don't have to explain April, we'd love to help." Don said cheerfully.

Mikey rolled his eyes, "Speak for yourself." he muttered.

"Can you give us a description of what the artifact or the goons looked like?" Leo asked.

"I can show you," April smiled and walked over to the computer.

She pulled up a picture of an ancient looking puzzle box. It had black writing on it's sides and was in a pentagon shape.

"It looks like the puzzle box your uncle used to teleport in." Don said after a minute of study.

"That's what I thought, but then I studied it a little and its like, well nothing I've ever seen before. It's a different puzzle and it gets bigger every time you try to solve a part of it."

"It says it's called The Mors Nigra," Leo read, "What does that mean?"

"It's Latin, for Black Death." April anwsered.

Don pondered this for a minute, "Do you think it has anything to do with the plague that hit the Renaissance?" he asked.

"No," April responded "You see these symbols right here?" she pointed to the faded black writing, "It isn't latin, or any known language on Earth," she said.

"What about the thieves?" Raph asked, "Did you see them?"

"I was asleep when they broke in," she explained. "I heard a crash and ran down to investigate, but by the time I got there the window was broken and I only saw a flash of their black cape jumping out the window."

"It's a good thing you weren't hurt." Leo said.

Don walked over to a fallen table and knelt down to inspect it. He brushed some of the debris out of the way and gasped.

"Hey April did you see this?" he called.

The others caught up to him to see a symbol burnt through the floor. It was a shape like a teardrop with another 'U' shape on top of it.

"Do you recognize it Don?" Leo asked.

Don studied it, "Not really but maybe..."

"Hey is that your symbol?" Raph asked pointing to a man outside across the street wearing a black cape with the same symbol glowing in red stitches.

"Yep" Don anwsered.

Raph smiled, "Excellent," he smirked as he reached for his sais.

"Easy there Raph, lets follow him to a place that's not so crowded." Leo ordered.

Raph nodded and the four headed towards the roof.

"Be careful." April called after them.

Leo nodded and they disappeared.

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><p><strong>AUTHOR'S NOTE- <strong>Oh look a plot! And a cliff hanger.. not very steep but don't worry we'll get there, now reviews?


	3. Chapter 2

**AUTHOR'S NOTE- **Hey again. Sorry if the wait was too gruesomely long. I swear I'm the laziest writer on this sight, if I had stayed on my writing schedule I'd be done already, oh well. Oh and future apologizes for not knowing the technical terms to a rocket are... and being to lazy to do any research, you'll see later on but first...

**DISCLAIMER- **I do not own ninjas of any species.

* * *

><p>On days like today Leo was convinced the only reason Raph existed was to give him a heart attack.<p>

The manic turtle was leaping roof to roof not giving one thought to stealth. He was already at least a block ahead of them, right on top of their target.

Leo wanted to yell at him but couldn't risk the commotion. He made sure the other two were crouching behind the walls of the roofs as soon as they landed. To Leo staying in the shadows was the most important thing here.

Raph's only concern on the other hand, was to keep up with the man in the black cape. There were many many people in the city and he was very easy to lose. The man had gotten lost in a crowd numerous times and Raph had to keep stopping to make sure he was the right one.

He also walked very fast, fast enough to have Raph spiriting to catch up to him. Finally they had reached Central Park and the man disappeared in the woods. Raph crouched behind a small wall and watched the surrounding area.

"Raph what were you thinking?" Leo hissed at him when they finally caught up, "Anyone who would have looked up could have seen you!"

"The guy went into the woods," Raph said paying no mind to Leo, "He was in a hurry."

Don looked out to the park before him, "Probably has an escape route hidden somewhere in there," he said.

"Then we'll surprise him there." Leo declared.

The turtles nodded in agreement then preceded into the woods. They maneuvered through the trees as well as on the roof tops. It wasn't long before they found him again scurrying away. They also found that he was carrying a brown duffel bag.

They followed him through the forest into an empty clearing that was half the size of a football field and surrounded by trees. The man stopped just at the edge of the tree line.

"Here's the plan," Leo whispered, "We're going to..."

His plan was interrupted when the man took out a remote like object and pressed down on a red button. Immediately a small black space ship appeared in their sight. He pressed another button and the doors opened in front of him.

"Okay, new plan follow him into that ship." Leo ordered.

"Okay I don't want to be the kill joy here, but why would we follow him into that creepy looking ship just for a dusty old artifact?" Mikey asked.

"It must be more valuable than a piece of junk if whatever these guys are want it." Don responded.

"Enough chit chat, we're going to miss them." Raph said.

Just then the door started to close back into the ship.

"Quickly Don find another way into that ship." Leo ordered.

Don nodded and jumped out of the tree and headed towards the ship. However started to burst out of the launchers and the impact on the grass pushed Don to the floor. Slowly the ship started to lift.

"They're getting away!" Mikey cried.

"Not on my watch!" Raph said.

He then leaped to the next closest tree to the ship and rapidly climbed to its tallest point. He climbed there as soon as the ship hovered as high as the tree's peak. His fists tightly gripped his sais. Balancing himself on the skinny branch he took a step back, then lunged forward to the ship.

The ship was a good ten feet away from them, making his leap towards it pretty risky, even for ninja. With a battle cry he pushed off the branch as hard as it would allow and soared to the side of the ship. Just as he was closing in on the round top of it he slammed his sais onto it's roof.

The sais barely made a dent a he quickly started to slip off the ship.

"Raph!" Leo cried from below climbing up the same tall tree.

He didn't notice Raph barely had a grip on the ship. He too backed up and jumped towards the last bit of Raph's legs he could reach. Raph grunted as soon as Leo's extra weight gripped onto him and the two slipped down even faster.

Leo frantically searched for a foot hole but could find none on the smooth outer shell of the ship. By then the two had slipped own far enough to be on the same level as the ship's wing.

Leo kicked off the surface and shot for the edge of the wing. Raph did the same and help onto his legs. He looked down to see Don and Mikey looking helplessly from below.

"Jump!" he hollered.

Don leaped off into the air but his hands couldn't reach Raph. Instead he thrust his bo up and Raph caught it with his feet. Mikey then jumped right onto Don's legs.

Leo on the other hand was having an awful time holding onto the slippery wing of the ship with his three brother's weight hanging on him. With a grunt he tried to get a better holding on the wing but ended up almost losing the grip he already had.

By then they were already far enough from the ground that falling would be fatal.

Mikey grabbed Don's upper shell and continued to climb up his bother to reach the bo staff. He accidentally put his hand in Don's face in attempt to grab Raph's legs.

"Mikey!" Don's annoyed voice came out muffled.

"Sorry." Mikey said and grabbed onto Raph and continued on.

Leo grunted when Mikey finally reached him. Mikey kicked off Leo's shell to get some momentum and leaped onto the wing just as Leo started to fall. Mikey swooped around and grabbed his brother's hand and pulled him up.

"Geez, you guys should really consider a diet." he grunted as he pulled Leo onto the wing.

Once Leo was on they helped Don and Raph up. Once up Don studied the scene.

"At the rate they're going we aren't going to be in Earth's atmosphere for very long." he speculated.

"How can we find a way in?" Leo asked.

"I saw enough of the ship to see that the rocket launcher's design is similar to Earth's rockets." he said.

"So?" Raph asked.

"So you know how rockets on Earth stop and let go of their launching gear right before they hit space? Well there's a very small time slot where all the engines are turned off. If we could get into the rockets I might be able to find someway into the ship. " he explained.

"Into the rockets? You mean the place where the scorching hot fire comes from?" Mikey asked.

"What do you mean you might find a place that leads into the ship?" Leo asked.

"Well the odds that there is a door is about 10%, it was a new development by NASA so the crew could make any repairs if needed to that area."

"And there's a good chance this ship won't have that?" Leo asked.

"It's likely." Don said weary.

"That reassuring." Raph said rolling his eyes.

"How much time do we have?" Leo asked.

"As soon as the gear falls off I'd say about five to ten seconds."

"I don't think we have another choice guys. Lets get as close to the rockets as possible so we'll have as much time as possible."Leo ordered.

The wing of the ship stretched over the entire side of the ship but became a skinny strip as he neared the rocket. The turtles got as close to the rocket as the strip would let them and only had to wait a couple of seconds before the ship stopped completely and dropped giant metal tubes.

As soon as the tubes were a good distance away they exploded in mid air. The turtles climbed onto the edge if the rocket a soon as the fuel turned off. They climbed in in record time.

"Help me find some sort of hatchet." Don ordered and they searched the walls.

Then they heard the sickening noise of engines starting back up again.

"Donny!" Mikey screamed.

Don continued to feel the wall when he felt a little line in it that outlined a square.

"Found it! Raph hand me your sais!" he called.

Raph tossed the sais and Don immediately started picking through the door.

"Don it's getting hot in here!" Mikey yelled as the temperature increased drastically.

Just then there was a creak and the hatchet opened.

"Climb in guys hurry!" he yelled as he crawled through.

Raph went in after him followed by Mikey and finally Leo. Leo was just getting his stomach through when the fire started up again. He screamed as it scorched his still hanging legs.

"Leo!" the other three yelled.

Raph grabbed Leo's shoulders and heaved the rest of him onto the hatchet. Mikey slammed the door behind him leaving hem in pitch blackness.

"Leo!" Don's voice cried. "What got burned? Are you alright?"

"I'm fine Donny." Leo said in a strained voice, "We need to get out of here."

"Crawl forward." Don said.

Right ahead was a small crack of light. Don got there first and slowly opened the door to reveal a small cockpit with two chairs and a control table. He gasped when he heard some gurgles coming from the two seats in front of the control table.

Then one of the seats turned around and Don came face to face with a man with a Federation uniform on.

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><p><strong>AUTHOR'S NOTE- <strong>See what I meant when I didn't know rocket terminology? Oh well, hey if you know what the things that the rockets release right as they are about to go to space are called don't be afraid to leave it in a review. If not just comment tell me your thoughts, hate if you must, even criticism is welcome, in short what I'm saying is REVIEW!


	4. Chapter 3

**AUTHOR'S NOTE-** Hey again, thanks a lot to all of your lessons on rocket terminology. I'll try to do research next time though. Anyway onto chapter three and remember I ask any and all questions if you are confused. Happy Reading!

**DISCLAIMER- **If I owned TMNT I would make them wear name tags instead of masks, I mean come on their turtles, the masks are redundant.

* * *

><p>Stupid was not something one can usually call the actions of Donatello, but today stupid would be an understatement to his reaction.<p>

As soon as Don and the co pilot's eyes met he gasped, pulled back, and slammed the door. He turned back around into the pitch blackness and muffled a curse.

"Who or what is out there?" Raph asked.

As soon as Don was about to answer the door flew opened welcoming in blinding light to the black hole. An arm flung out, seized Don and with a yelp pulled him out and slammed the door again.

"Don!" Mikey cried.

"Mikey you stay here with Leo, I'm gonna go play with Don's new friends." Raph said smirking and lunged out the hole and closed the door behind him.

For a few seconds Leo and Mikey could hear the sounds of fight. Then they heard a gun shooting off.

"Don!" Raph's voice came from outside.

Another second later the gun shoot out again and they barely made out Raph's faded grunt.

After that the only thing Mikey heard was his pounding heart as he crouched closer to Leo, staring wide-eyed at the door. Leo softly pushed back Mikey and crawled to the entrance. Mikey bit back a protest and slowly followed him toward the door.

Suddenly it was again flung open. Leo only got a glance at the pilot's face as shoot him with his silver laser.

"Leo!" Mikey cried then was hit with a beam as well and everything went black.

* * *

><p>The first thing Mikey noticed when he woke up was that he was uncomfortable, in excruciating pain was more like it.<p>

His armed were pulled back nearly to the point of dislocation by steel, rusty chains. They were tied so hard into his wrists that he could feel blood trickling down them. It was the same way with his legs too, and he was bleeding from his heels. He tried to wiggle to loosen the chains but ended up making them cut deeper into his heels and wrists. He hissed at the stinging, hot pain.

He lifted his head and could barely make out his brothers' figures hanging the same way he was all around him. Raph moaned and started to stir.

"Raph!" Mikey called.

Raph looked up slowly.

"What?" he asked.

"Where are we?"

"How the shell should I know?" he responded, annoyed.

It was then they really studied their new cell. It was surrounded by creaky wooden walls and there was small streaks of light coming from a sole window of the roof, otherwise it was pitch black. The room smelled like feces and death, which made Mikey's nose twitch even though he lived in the sewer.

"Is everyone alright?" Don's voice came from the darkness.

"That depends on where we are." Mikey said.

"Leo are you okay?" Don asked, still concerned about his burn.

"Yea, fine" Leo anwsered in one of his worst false voices.

His legs burned heavily and the chains digging into his flesh was not exactly and favorable accompaniment.

At the edge on the room there were tall wooden stairs leading up to another door. From above grunts and voices could be heard. Finally the door creaked open and a man came and looked downstairs.

"They're up!" he cried and ran back up.

A few seconds later another man came down the stairs. He was wearing a black coat with a golden badge of the symbol the turtles immediately recognized from April's shop.

He glared at them when he was down. "Why were you stowing away in one of my squad ships?" he demanded.

Raph growled at him when Don anwsered, "One of your men has stolen an artifact from our friend." he said.

"Artifact?" the man asked.

"The Mors Nigra." Leo said.

The man eyes widened. "How do you know of... never mind, nobody stows away on one of my ships and gets away with it."

He took out a small communicator. "Kill them." he spoke into it. With that he snapped it shut and went back upstairs.

As soon as the door shut Don started to pull on his chains. "For such an advanced alien nation they have some pretty old school containment devices." he said.

"Not really the topic of interest Don." Raph snapped.

"Open for suggestions of an escape plan." Leo said.

"Why doesn't Raph try eating the chains?" Mikey snickered.

Don narrowed his eyes as he scanned the room. Then his eyes started to follow the chains up to the roof. His eyes widened when he saw all four of their chains were hanging from the same hook. And one of the chains was attached loosely compared to the others. He followed it down to its captive and smiled when he ended up at Raph.

"Everyone listen up." he said, "all of our chains are connected in one place, if we wiggle enough we might loosen Raph's enough so he can get free."

The turtles nodded and started to squirm and yank on they're chains, which was painful but doable if it meant freedom.

The door opened again and a man stepped in with a gun in hand. He glared at the turtle's efforts to get free.

"Struggling is useless." he said taking aim at Mikey.

Just as he was about to fire one of Raph's chains snapped off his arm. He then swung his arm and hit the man with the chain causing him to fall to the floor. He growled and got up. Raph gathered some of chains and wrapped it around his wrist. Then swung it again at the man like a whip, throwing him to the wall with a groan and a bloody scar on his face. He lay unconscious on the floor.

Raph smiled and loosen the chain on the other arm until it was lose then freed his legs. Once on the ground he immediately saw they're weapons on a table at the other side of the room. He grabbed his sais and ran over to free Don.

"Thank you." Don breathed as Raph freed the last chain from his wrists.

"Don't mention it." he said handing him one of his sais. "You free Leo, I'll get Mikey." he said.

Don nodded and headed toward Leo. He grimaced at the deep,bloody cut on top of the now blistering burn.

"Leo I'm sorry," he said "My plan for getting in the ship was dumb and I didn't even think about..."

"It's okay Don," Leo interrupted. "No one was expecting what happened in the cockpit and at least your plan got us into the ship unnoticed."

"Yea unnoticed until you exposed us to the driver." Mikey said, earning him glares from Raph and Leo.

Don still didn't look eased but he focused back on cutting off Leo's chains.

Unlike the rest of them, Leo's chains were attached at the heels, making the only way to cut them off was deep in the cut at the chains. Don thought about just cutting the chains holding him against the wall, but if he left the remains in the cut skin might grow around it, or it could get infected.

"Sorry Leo I'm going to have to cut at the heels." he said, carefully bracing the sai.

Leo nodded, "I'll be okay."

Don gulped and stuck the sai in the cut and started to saw off the chain. Leo clenched his fists and bit his tongue to stop himself from screaming. Raph had already freed Mikey and the two watched in sympathy as Leo struggled to keep the shouts of pain in. It only took a couple of seconds but it felt a lot longer to the guys. Finally the chains snapped and Don started on the arms. When he freed Leo Raph and Mikey gently eased him to the ground.

The four of them had rather nasty cuts on their heels and standing was pretty painful.

"Help me find something to cover our wounds." Don ordered.

"No time we have to get out before they figure out something's wrong." Raph said.

Don sighed and nodded, "Leo can you walk." he asked quietly.

Leo nodded and tried to rise, but his legs felt like they were back on fire and again he had to suppress a cry of pain as he slid back on to the ground.

"Come on Leo." Raph said gently as he lifted Leo's side and Don joined on the other.

Mikey went ahead up the stairs and slowly creaked open the door and peaked outside. The sight was not ordinary.

* * *

><p>First thing he noticed was that they were on what looked like a ship. Not a space ship, but a boat ship or pirate ship. There were gigantic sails and a crew of people working on deck. The other thing he noticed were the millions of stars in a black sky.<p>

_It was morning when we left_, he thought, _but maybe we were out a long time, maybe it's night time._

Never before had he seen so many stars. Living in New York seeing three stars at a time was lucky, and there were more stars here then he'd ever seen at the farm house.

"Is the coast clear Mikey?" Don asked from a couple of steps below.

Mikey looked around. The crew members were a good distance away and consumed with their work.

"Yep." he called back.

The turtles quickly climbed up the remaining steps and head out the door as quietly as years of ninja stealth training allowed. They quickly located a bunch of boxes stacked up by the edge of the ship and made there way over there.

"Okay," Leo said, his voice was strained as he was let down. "We should be safe here for at least long enough to figure a way off this ship." he started.

"Uhh Leo." Don said in an astonished voice "I think you might want to see this."

Leo joined his bothers as they all turned around to come face to face with a sight, not even in their wildest dreams they'd ever think to see. There probably a couple of feet away Saturn and it's glorious rings gleamed in the night. The ship was right on top of it. The yellow color of the plant gleamed neon yellow and it's fiery orange rings seamed to be coming all around them.

The turtles were speechless at the astonishing, yet terrifying sigh before them.

"Freeze!" they all jumped at the voice.

They swooped around to see that they were surrounded by crew members with guns aimed right at them.

"You have no escape." The captain of the ship walked out in front of them.

He was right, in more ways then one.

* * *

><p><strong>AUTHOR'S NOTE-<strong> So yep there by Saturn, and wiki said the planet had rings so I hope that wasn't made up, the last thing I want is sci-fi in my fic, lol. If you think I'm wasting my time trying to be funny please review, or if you think I'm hilarious review, or hey if you want to just say something then review, I'm not picky.


	5. Chapter 4

**AUTHOR'S NOTE- **Hello once again y'all. So just a friendly suggestion here, you may want to reread the **end** of the prologue to get a little on what's going on in this chapter. And don't worry this is related to the other plot! And last chapter some of you were wondering how the solar winds work. Well excellent question first off and second off they are streams of charged protons and electrons in space (information straight of Wiki) and the 'ships' sails are designed to capture these and draw power to move from them. Any questions?**  
><strong>

**DISCLAIMER-** So what if I don't own the ninja turtles! I own pretty awesome other things like..._  
><em>

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><p><em>He didn't even have a name. That's what could be said about him. That's how much he meant to anyone. If someone wanted to call him they'd just shout 'Cabin Boy!' No one had bothered to think of anything different because it didn't matter.<em>

_Supposedly at one point he must have been given a name, by somebody. Maybe his parents named him, maybe someone who looked after him called him something of significance. Then again maybe not. Maybe everyone he ever knew treated him like this, like nothing. He didn't remember, he couldn't remember much outside of labor to Red Sun. He didn't know why he was working for him, or if he was working towards anything. If he tried real hard he could catch glimpses a life outside of Red Sun's hostility. But they were mostly of other ships, doing the same kind of work. Who knows? Those glimpses might not have even been his,he only knew one thing for certain, they didn't matter._

_Life before Red Sun didn't matter. Nothing mattered but pleasing Red Sun so he wouldn't get thrown overboard and be replaced. Life was set on repetition for the Cabin Boy. He would wake up with the cook of the boat and they would be the sole ones awake on the ship. The cook would prepare the dishes for all the crew members and the Cabin Boy would serve and later clean up. He was allowed to leftovers if there were any, which there rarely were, other then that he wouldn't get feed._

_After breakfast the crew would work no stop on keeping the ship steady and searching the skies for ships to rob. Meanwhile the cabin boy would work non stop cleaning the boat. One week he would clean it all over on the inside, the next week the outside. This would take him until supper time where he would again serve the food and clean up afterwords. Later on he would either have to clean up the dudgeon, and care for prisoners if they had any. He would feed them little and give them water. At times, usually weeks without food he was tempted to steal some of theirs, but never did, he never could. He would also clean out their bodies as they died. Then he was the last one to sleep._

_That was the routine on the old ship and not much, if anything had changed on the new one, Astral Light. Except of course now it took a whole lot longer to clean. It usually took him three weeks straight if work to clean the entire inside of the ship, and he worked twelve hours a day._

_No one gave more then one thought to him. no one sympathized him, teased him or even talked to him, other then orders. He was like a machine worthless for everything except servitude and he thought so too, until the day he met Streak._

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><p><em>Some of the gruel splattered on the cabin boy as the cook slopped it on the plate. He tried to lift his hand to wipe his face when the cook glared at him.<em>

_"Don't spill that." he ordered, his glare was forever engraved in his face._

_He nodded and took the plate over to the table and set it down carefully. Then he heard a voice other then the cook's, which was an odd sound this time of day._

_"There's the kitchen, right across from our quarters, breakfast is in five." the Captain Red Sun's voice said in a bored tone._

_The cabin boy looked around. He was done setting the table, it couldn't hurt to look around. The cook's back was turned and as usually he was grumbling complaints about how repulsive he had to make the food and how little he was paid for his work. The cabin boy snuck out with ease, not that the cook would have cared if he hadn't._

_He took a peak outside of the kitchen on the deck of the ship to see a pale, tall man standing there talking to the captain. The cabin boy didn't recognize the face, which was covered in black, tentacles? The man was old and very frail, he wouldn't last long, the boy couldn't stop himself from thinking._

_Suddenly the captain stopped talking and turned around abruptly straight towards the cabin boy._

_"What are you looking at?" he snapped._

_"Br-breakfast is ready sir." he stuttered._

_Red Sun gave him a cold glare and sneered "Then go ring the breakfast bell you worthless scum!"_

_The cabin boy jumped and did as told with only a quick glance back to see the old man studying him._

_After eavesdropping at breakfast the Cabin Boy figured out that the old man was the replacement navigator. He had been captured from a previous ship they had robbed. They usually didn't take prisoners unless to interrogate them or use them as replacements of over worked crew members. The man had been lucky they were in need of a navigator since the old one had been killed off by the others since he had a sickness._

_None of the jobs on the crew were easy, or pleasant. The navigator usually stayed on top of his pole and shouted out directions from his map. He spent his twelve hour shift up there, and it wasn't very nice. In fact it was one of the worst places on the ship. Whenever the ship past a hot area that spot became the hottest and if they were in a cold and lifeless nebula that spot froze the quickest. It was also the spot with the least oxygen and protection from radiation. But the view was incredible, they could see past the ship into space, which was why it was one of the cabin boy's favorite places to clean._

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><p><em>Fate works in a funny way. Sometimes it makes even the biggest actions disappear until nothing, other times it causes the littlest accidents to become a revolution. Fate sure worked in a funny way that day. And looking back you could probably say that everything that happened happened because of a single gust of wind, and a dirty spot on deck.<em>

_The cabin boy that morning had picked up on his cleaning right where he had left it off the night before. He hardly noticed the old man climbing up the navigator's pole that morning. And he also didn't notice that he was cleaning directly below it._

_Then he heard the old man shout. He looked up to see a piece of paper flying away from the pole down to the deck. The boy threw down his mop and took after the sheet of paper. His eyes were glued up at it and he ran into many things that were right in front of him. When the map flew closer down to the deck he jumped and tried to grabbed it but missed._

_He looked around and saw a bunch of stacked up barrels of rum straight ahead. He took for them and quickly climbed up them giving him a few more feet of height. Just as he reached the top of the barrels he saw the paper fly past him. He jumped for it and almost had it too, but then it jerked out of his grasp as he fell to the floor._

_His body slammed onto the wooden floor and he crunched his feet together and put his hand on his spinning head. Then he looked up to see the paper flying off toward the edge of the ship. He jumped up and ran to the edge just as it floated out of his reach. Then using a nearby pole for support, he stood on the wooden rails and reached for the paper just as it brushed his finger tips. He lunged his body as far as he could go and grasped the paper, almost losing his balance in the process._

_He tightened his grip on the pole then swung himself around back onto the ship and ran back to the navigator's pole._

_"Thank you my boy! Thank you!" the old man cried from above._

_The boy climbed up the pole in no time and handed him the piece of paper._

_"Those pesky breezes, 'lmost blew me off with my map." he said checking the map for rips or dents._

_"You're welcome sir." the boy said and prepared to climb down._

_"Now hold on there son, I haven't got your name." he said._

_The boy looked at him. "I don't got a name." he said._

_"Why don't be silly son, everyone has a name, mines Streak." he said as he stuck out his hand._

_The cabin boy just looked at it curiously. Streak studied him for a moment._

_"Well if you don't have a name I suppose Ima have to give ya one." he said._

_The cabin boy still didn't reply but looked at him in wonder._

_"How about Dash, since you are as quick as a whip." he suggested._

_The boy looked at him, "Dash" he whispered._

_Streak frowned, "Well if you prefer Cabin Boy I can simply..."_

_"No!" he interrupted, "I-I like it." he said shyly._

_"Well then Dash, it's very nice to meet you."_

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><p><strong>AUTHOR'S NOTE<strong>_**- **_Was the ending abrupt? I hope not, but I would love your opinon anyway, so likes always please review!


	6. Chapter 5

**AUTHOR'S NOTE- **Sorry this is like one day late, I wanted to update Saturday, but lost track of time and... Sorry, anyway for this particular chater I really wanted to get detailed with Leo's injury, so I looked up 3rd degree burns on Google, (and yea after his legs caught on fire they left 3rd degree burns) and wow, ouch that's all I can say... I don't know if my description will be as bad as the pictures, but if you really want to know what Leo's suffering with look up 3rd degree burns.

**DISCLAIMER-** I do not own TMNT, way to much work

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><p>The turtles immediately took defensive positions around Leo. The crew perfected their aim and waited for the firing signal.<p>

The captain narrowed his eyes and spoke the horrid word "Fire,".

The turtles jumped at the word but before anything else could be done the first mate of the ship came running down to their corner.

"Wait!" he yelled.

The captain held up his hand and the crew members relaxed their guns. The turtles started to form a tighter circle around Leo.

"What?" the captain snapped to the first mate.

"These creatures have a heavy bounty on them, the Triceratons are offering a million gold pieces for each, and the Federation Leader is willing to double!" he explained quickly.

"Dead or alive?" he asked glaring at the turtles.

"Alive sir." the first mate anwsered wearily.

The captain let out a small growl, "Very well, take them to the electric cell hold." he ordered.

Raph had hardly been listening to much of the conversation. He scanned the ship and located just what they needed, escape ships. He discretely nudged Don and gestured over to the ships. Don gave him his infamous 'Are you crazy?' look.

Raph smirked and shrugged. Then before any of the crew had a chance to carry out their order Raph leaped over to where a bunch of ropes were tied up.

"Oh I wonder what would happen if I cut up one of these?" he asked sarcastically, then cut them all off with his sai.

The nearest sail fell from the mast and flowed down like a gigantic sheet of paper managing to cover half of the crew.

"Let's go guys!" he cried jumping towards his brothers and making headway to the escape ships.

He hardly looked back after that and focused solely on the escape ships. Suddenly he felt a bullet flying hardly an inch past his arm. He picked up speed and avoided the several other accompanying bullets. A crew member on the sides jumped in his way and tackled him to the floor. Raph tries to roll him off when he saw out of the corner of his eye several other crew members running to pile on. He quickly flipped the man and threw him into the others. Then he jumped up and reached the edge of the ship.

"Raph!" Don's frantic cry came from behind, "Stop!"

Raph swooped around to see Mikey and Don with their hands up and weapons down. The captain had Leo locked in his arms and a gun was touching his head.

"Go ahead." he said "Half a prize is better then none at all." he said in a menacing voice.

Raph growled and tightened his grips on his sais. He hated surrendering, especially to an unknown enemy. But nonetheless he swallowed his pride and dropped his weapons just as two crew members seized him and started to carry him to the lower deck.

* * *

><p>Their new cell was actually a lot more pleasant then their last one. Granted almost every cell they'd ever been in was more pleasant then that one. This one was roomy enough to hold the four and allowed them to walk around a little. It had wooden walls and floors and metal bars in front, nothing else was in there.<p>

As soon as Raph landed on the floor after the men had thrown him in, he jumped up and ran to counter them. The man however jumped right out of the cell and in a singe motion slammed the cell door and flicked on a switch. The cell bars eliminated and Raph couldn't stop his pounce and landed directly on them. Then electricity surged threw his body and flung him across the cell to the floor.

"Raph!" Mikey cried and ran over to help him up.

"Are you okay?" Don asked.

He was hoovering above Leo who had his legs spread out.

"Peachy." he moaned as Mikey helped him sit up.

Don turned his focus back to Leo who was in a pretty ugly state. The burn was a third degree one and traveled up his legs and ended at his hips. Some of the skin was burnt black, the were other spots where the black skin deteriorated and there was red bumps in the skin which Don immediately recognized as burnt tissue. And at the ankles yellow puss was seeping out of the deepest parts of the cut. Don immediately recognized it as an infection.

He frowned at several broken blisters up and down the legs also oozing puss.

"Leo you need serious medical attention." he sighed.

"Well we're not exactly in a hospital room Don," Mikey said "And I doubt we can use any of the guards as doctors."

Don took another look at the cut, "We still have to try." he said.

When the next crew member took his turn to watch Don went up to him.

"My brother needs medical attention." he said.

The man rolled his eyes.

"What do I care."

"Please," Don said "He got seriously burned and he might be infected."

"They want you alive, they don't what else happens to you." he said.

"But if you don't get him treatment he will die." Don persisted.

"Yes, how stupid do you think I am." the man asked the grabbed his gun, "Now turn around and be quiet or I'll stun you again."

Don glared at him then headed back to Leo.

"Why are we just sitting here?" Raph asked, obviously angry, "I've already come up with at least three escape plans which will a snap with Mr. Sympathetic over there watching us."

"Well lets see Raph, even if we manage to get Leo to an escape ship without being seen by any of the crew we still have the small issue of being light years away from Earth!" Don snapped.

"Okay then what do you suggest?" Raph snapped back.

That's when Leo got strength enough to speak. "We're going to have to wait until the ship ports and sneak off, then we're going to have to wing it in finding a way back to Earth." he sighed. "Until then we're going to have to lay low and stay out of trouble."

* * *

><p>"Pizza's here!" Casey cried as he barged in the door.<p>

Mikey immediately snapped up from the couch and looked over to his friend. He saw a game controller lying on the floor and smiled to himself. Must have fallen asleep while playing 'Space Raiders 2' he thought to himself and turned off the flashing television. What a weird dream...

Then his stomach growled louder then ever before. The thundering sound echoed across the room and even shook the tables.

"Woah, you hungry Mike? Good thing I gotta extra large pizza with all your favorite toppings on it." Casey said as he set down steaming hot pizza on the table.

"I think I'm in love." Mikey said walking over to the pizza.

He took a smell "Ahh love at first smell." he said "Your the best Casey!" he cried.

"Aw tell me something I don't know." he replied smugly.

Mikey picked up a piece of pizza and was just about to let the cheesy, greasy glob into his mouth when he felt someone shaking him. He tried to ignore it but it continued to shake harder. Suddenly the pizza disappeared from his hands, along with the rest of the layer and was replaced by wooden floors and a puddle of drool.

"Huh? What?" he asked and looked up to see his brother hovering over him.

"Come on," he said "I need your help."

It didn't take long for Mikey to gravely realize the only part of the dream that was his growling stomach.

"What do you need my help for?" he asked groggily, wiping drool from his face.

"I have a plan to get out of here and..." Don started to explain.

"Wait," Mikey interrupted "Leo said to stay out of trouble."

"I know but I can't sleep, Leo needs something to stop the infection."

Mikey could tell from Don's voice how worried and frustrated he was, and he didn't get that way unless the situation was serious.

"Okay," Mikey said looking around the cell, Raph and Leo were sound asleep. "Aren't you gonna wake up Raph?"

"No this is a two turtle job," Don explained, "We're going to sneak into the captain's quarters and see if he has anything there."

Mikey raised his eye ridge "So I'm guessing this plan of yours calls for a whole lot of stealth." he said.

"Oh you bet." Don replied. "See that over there?" he pointed to a switch on the upper wall at the far side of the room. "That controls the electricity on the bars." he explained. "If you can hit it at the right angle we can turn off the electric flow."

Mikey smirked. "No problem," he said taking off a knee pad, "Watch the master at work," he took careful aim and threw it at the switch. It hit the device and the electricity turned off.

"Nice throw." Don smiled.

"Naturally." Mikey smirked back.

Don ran over to the lock on the bars and started to work on it with his perfected lock picking skills. He always carried around a bobby pin April had given him and found it most useful in these such occasions.

In a couple of seconds he broke the lock and opened the cell door. The escape had been relatively simple, though Don was smart enough to know it wasn't designed to be impenetrable, because even if the captives escaped they were trapped on the boat.

There was a small space outside of the cell for any watch guard, but there wasn't any this time of night. Quietly Mikey and Don slipped out of the room and onto the deck.

They looked around to find it completely empty, not a soul was in sight. Don searched along the ship while Mikey looked in wonder at the sky. He just couldn't get over the millions and millions of stars. He also couldn't help but wondering about those constellations he heard people talking about.

"Mikey over here." Don called in a loud whisper.

Mikey came over to him and found him standing in front of a door with a steering wheel on it.

"I think this is the Captain's quarters." Don said.

Mikey listened closely to the door and heard snoring, "Are you sure we should be doing this?" he asked wearily.

"We don't have a choice." Don anwsered then slowly preceded in.

* * *

><p>The only thing that blocked that door was the fear and terror essence that leaked from it. And that alone was enough to keep anyone of sane mind out, but the brothers were desperate and continued in, even though they felt as if they had entered a grave yard.<p>

The cabin was relatively big for a ship. On one side of the room there was a book shelf and a desk, then there were so with me drawers nearby. On the other side there was a long bed with the captain's figure in it, covered up in a cocoon of blankets and slowly, steadily moving up and down.

Luckily for the turtles there was also a port hole on the other side of the room, leaving just enough light to barely make out shapes and figures.

Don and Mikey first headed for the drawers. Using all their ninja stealth, plus some from pure fear, they searched the first drawer for any bandages or disinfectant cream. Mikey felt something thick and pulled out a whole wrap of gazes. He smiled and showed it to Don, who smiled in relief back.

Despite himself Don's eyes couldn't help but wander over to the book shelf and desk. From the look of scattered books and notes he could tell a lot of research was being done.

The captain turned in his bed. Mikey and Don froze and cautiously looked back. The captain and everything else was still for a few moments and Mikey got back to work. Don however had caught his eyes on something on the nightstand.

He squinted then could make out the figure, "The Mors Nigra." he whispered.

"Shhh!" Mikey hissed louder then intended, then took a daring look to the captain.

The captain was still, but to Mikey's horror Don was going over to the night stand.

"What are you doing get back here!" he hissed as loudly as he dared.

Don couldn't even hear him and continued to the nightstand which was hardly a foot from his bed. Don then saw that he was right, the puzzle box sat peacefully on the counter. Don had just started to grasp it when the captain sat up from his bed.

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><p><strong>AUTHOR'S NOTE- <strong>I just want to remind my patient, forgiving readers that I haven't seen TMNT, so you have my up most apologies if they seem slighty out of character. And if you think any line is OOC please tell me because I hate to write a fan fic without in character characters. Thanks guys!


	7. Chapter 6

**AUTHOR'S NOTE- **Wow do I owe you guys an apology! I am SOOO sorry about the lack of updates. I went somewhere and I wasn't sure about the internet service. I assumed I'd figure something out.. oops. Well anyway this might be a one time deal depending on were I go next, so apologies in advance, but I will try to update when I get service. Enough boring talk... Read on

**DISCLAIMER- **I kid myself thinking anyone reads this... I don't own TMNT

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><p>Don just stared in breathless horror as the captain sat up. He was in mid grasp of the puzzle box and frozen in fear. The captain rubbed his eyes and looked the opposite way of Don to the door and slid his legs over the bed. He then stretched out his arms, scratched the back of his head and stood up. Don was biting his tongue so hard he swear he could taste blood. Then as quietly as he could he started to bend down to the floor.<p>

Mikey on the other hand was right in front of the captain's bed, luckily he was concealed in the shadows so he captain couldn't see him. Mikey was also holding his breath and mentally praying one of the rare prayers he ever made in his life. The captain then headed straight threw the door and closed it behind him. As soon as the footsteps were gone from outside Don and Mikey finally let go of heir breathes.

"Dude, that was way too close." Mikey breathed.

"Shh!" Don snapped, "He still might come back."

"What were you thinking going so close to him like that?" Mikey demanded, "If he caught you like that he would have thrown all of us overboard!"

"He has the stolen Mors Nigra." Don explained.

"So what are we going to do steal it back? What will he do if he finds out it's missing?" Mikey asked.

"We aren't going to steal it tonight Mike, but we can't leave this ship without it." Don declared.

"I was afraid you were going to say that." Mikey sighed.

Then something else caught Don's eye. He walked over to all the scattered papers on the desk and began studying them.

"We have the bandages and medicine now, shouldn't we get going?" Mikey asked.

Don picked up a sheet of paper and held it to the light, "I wonder if these have anything to do with the Mors Nigra..." he muttered.

"Umm, we don't have time bro, we have to get the shell outta here now." Mikey urged.

"Wait Mike, this might be the only chance I get to find out more about the puzzle box and it's value." he took another look at the notes "I think this is all the research the captain has done on it." he said.

Mikey then heard footsteps coming from the outside "Uhh Donnie," he said in a quiet, scared voice.

Don frowned as he got a closer look at them "I think they're in some other alien language or something," he said.

"Donnie." Mikey's voice rose as the footsteps got closer.

"If only I had time I could translate it." Don said.

Then they heard the door click. Both turtles turned around in horror. Mikey quickly dove under the bed and Don dove in a small space underneath the desk. The door swung open and the captain approached his bed. Mikey felt the mattress above him bend because of the sudden weight and was almost crushed by it. Everything was completely still for what seemed like hours.

Then to the relief of both the turtles snoring came out of the captain. Mikey quietly crawled out from the bed and Don joined right behind him. Then they ran threw the door hardly glancing at the outside deck.

The only noises came from inside of the kitchen, meaning it was early morning. Don and Mikey quickly made their way back to the cell.

* * *

><p>It only took Raph about three seconds after he woke up to see that two of his brothers were missing and the cell door was wide open.<p>

_I'm going to skin those two,_ he thought as he quickly went to shake the sleeping Leo.

"Hey wake up!" he cried.

Leo moaned and tried to fight him off.

"Leo, hey Mikey and Don are gone." he said.

This got Leo sitting straight up in a snap.

"Gone where?" he asked panicked and a little annoyed.

Raph pointed to the open cell door then he and Leo gasped when the door to the room opened.

"Shell!" Raph cursed and ran over to close the cell door.

It was then when he noticed the sloppiness of his brother's work. The electricity was still off and a knee pad was on the floor.

_Man if we get out of this alive.._ he thought while letting out a small growl.

"Breakfast time freaks." the crew member said as he walked in with a bucket, that smelled like people what left their waste in, not their food.

He hardly looked at the two panicked turtles and turned all of his attention to the bucket and pouring slop into the cell. It was at that moment the door slammed open and Mikey and Don rushed inside. The man looked up and the Mikey and Don froze in their tracks.

"Uhhh.." Raph muttered as the man started to turn around, "I'm not eating any of this garbage!" he cried, then quickly grabbed a scoopful of slop and slammed it into the man's face.

The man stood shocked for a second then scowled at Raph "Why you little..." he stuck his hands through the bar and grabbed Raph's shoulder's menacingly.

Using the distraction Mikey quickly picked up his knee pad and ran back into the cell followed by Don.

The crew member punched Raph threw the bars while he was distracted by Mikey and Don and got hit right in the eye. He let out a grunt and fell to the floor.

"If the 'garbage' isn't good enough for you freaks, then you ain't getting anymore." he snapped, picked up the bucket and walked out of the room. Stopping only to turn on the electricity.

"Raph are you okay?" Don asked helping him up.

"I'm fine." he said slapping Don away.

"What were you two thinking?" Leo asked, annoyed "I told you we can't get into anymore trouble."

Don and Mikey smiled proudly and Don dropped the items he was hiding in his arms, "We were thinking you could use this." he said.

* * *

><p>It wasn't long afterwords when Don had all of their heels patched up and was gently applying cream to Leo.<p>

"Make sure to cover your bandages with you masks," Don said "If they see them then they might suspect something."

He turned his attention back to Leo and sighed. The burn was only getting redder and the puss was still oozing and a big layer of it was dried around Leo's leg.

"This will help it Leo" he said squeezing out the last bit of cream in the tube. "But it won't be enough,we'll eventually have to get more, and some ice would be a really big help to."

Admittedly ice sounded wonderful but Leo still digressed. "I'm sorry Don but it's too risky going out on another supply run, especially in the captain's quarters."

"But Leo we also found something besides supplies in there." Don argued.

"What did you find?" Leo asked.

"The Mors Nigra." Don said. "And a bunch of notes and history on it and..."

"Oh no, I know where this is going." Leo interrupted. "Don we can't go back in there."

"But we need the Mors Nigra and this is probably the biggest information source I'll ever find on it." Don argued.

"But you said all those papers weren't even in English." Mikey said.

"I can work around that, please Leo, it's the only reason we're in this mess in the first place."

Leo sighed, he hated to lose an argument but Don did seem pretty sure about this.

"Alright, but we all have to go next time and be very careful." he said.

"Yes!" Don cried "Thank you Leo! I'm sure I'll find something in there."

"And it beats sitting on shells here doing nothing." Raph added.

"Am I the only one who thinks this is a really bad idea?" Mikey complained.

* * *

><p>Raph escaped the cell the same way his brothers did the night before as soon as Don was done treating Leo. He silently crept to the door and snuck out. The other three waited anxiously back in the cell.<p>

Raph silently closed the door behind him and snuck on deck. He quickly found a place to hide in an empty crate. He climbed in and found that it had many holes on all sides, giving him a perfect hiding spot to spy on the captain's quarters right in front of him.

He waited there for a couple of minutes until the dinner bell rang, then the captain walked proudly from his room into the kitchen. He smirked and went to signal his brothers.

A couple of minutes later his brothers snuck into the captain's room while Raph kept a lookout outside. Inside the turtles didn't dare turn on the main light in fear of drawing attention, instead they scoured the room for any sort of candle or flashlight.

Stumbling in the dark Leo accidentally knocked his knee into the drawers. He hissed in pain and opened it to search it. His hand feel upon something cool and metal. He took it out to get a better look and smiled when he figured out it was a lighter.

"Don I found your light." he said.

"Great, get over here." Don responded.

Leo walked over to where Don was examining the papers.

"Excellent," he smiled and took the lighter and opened a book.

'Hmm." he said running his fingers through the words.

"What is it?" Leo asked.

"This text is carved into the paper," Don said "It's kind of like braille."

"So?" Mikey asked from the other side of the room.

"So this." Don gathered a bunch of paper on one side. Then examined the ones discarded and put the lighter to them to burn them. Leo and Mikey looked at him questionably. After Don had burned six or seven sheets of paper he grabbed the ashes and put a blank sheet of paper on top of the text filled one. Then he rubbed the ashes on the sheet of paper so the text formed on it.

"There," he smiled "one crude copy of information."

Just then the door swung open and Raph called in "Yo guys time dinner's over, time to book it!" he said.

"I didn't get enough information, I don't even know what I copied." Don said to Leo.

"Don't worry we'll come back tomorrow," Leo assured him, "Let's just get out of here before the captain comes back."

Don nodded in agreement and headed out the door with Mikey. Leo stayed back to make sure everything was as it was when they first came, once he was satisfied he joined his brothers and crept back to the cell.

* * *

><p><strong>AUTHOR'S NOTE-<strong> There, not quite as bad a cliffhanger as the last, but enough to keep interest...right? Please review to tell me I am not a waste of human life.


	8. Chapter 7

**AUTHOR'S NOTE- **I'm back! Anyone miss me? Aww well I missed all of you. Anyway at the place I was at I had internet I was just very unsure about it, but now I'm at a safe internet source and can make more frequent updates to make up for lost time. Anyways its like 1 in the morning and my brother's getting annoyed with my non stop typing, so sorry to cut this reunion short, enjoy.

**DISCLAIMER- **I checked the magically bean soup that knows everything and it says that I don't own TMNT, figures.

* * *

><p>Needless to say there wasn't very much to do in the wooden little cell for the turtles. And with the only material object in there being a piece on paper Don was obsessing over each of the turtles had to come up with an alternative past-time.<p>

Mikey decided to devote his time to complaining, to this Raph decided to hurt Mikey every time he complained. And Leo spent every minute in the cell wondering how they will get out.

From previous experiences on the ship Leo knew enough to say the security was a joke. They had successfully snuck out and back into the cell without anyone suspecting anything. And the guards assigned to watch them were as detail aware as a kinder gardener. But he was afraid that was all going to change once they got close to the nearest port. He was also worried what would happen after they ported. Even if they escaped from the thieves they had absolutely no guarantee that they could even get a ride home. No one would speak their language or be able to help them.

Leo sighed, these were setbacks, but they were going to get home. And organizing the good and the bad things in his mind helped him figure out a plan on how to do it. As for good things however, he could only come up with the fact that they were still together. But that alone was enough to inspire him that the situation wasn't entirely hopeless.

"I'm hungry!" Mikey's whine interrupted his thoughts.

"Don't you ever have something else to say?" Raph snapped.

Mikey groaned louder, "I've never gone this long without eating, I didn't even have breakfast the morning we left."

"Stop being so dramatic...and none of us have had any food in awhile, so don't expect sympathy." Raph said,

"I'm soooo hungry," he moaned again, ignoring Raph "Why'd you have to annoy the guard anyway?"

"So you could get back the cell safely and I could listen to you complain." Raph snapped.

Mikey was on laying with his stomach on the floor and whining everything he said.

"Wish you hadn't punched that dude in the face, I would have eaten anything in that bucket."

"Yea me too that way I wouldn't have to listen to your whining."

By now Leo was getting pretty annoyed. They had been arguing about the same thing ever since they came back and he was starting to get a headache. He was just about to out an end to their fighting when Don called him over.

"Found something Don?" he asked as he came over.

"This isn't the Federation language." Don said.

"What? How do you know?" Leo asked.

Don had been studying the paper they got nonstop ever since they got back and they all had figured that had been a couple of hours ago.

"You see every language is based on different sounds we can possibly make with our mouths to express something. The written language uses symbols to represent these sounds. Now originally I thought this was written in the Federation language, but they speak English, which only has twenty six letters, or symbols for different sounds. Even if the symbols for these sounds were written differently there would still be twenty six different symbols. But not in this, after comparing all the symbols in each word I've found at least thirty eight different symbols, so it can't possibly be the English language or anything close to it." Don explained.

"But what does that have to do with.." Leo started to ask.

"That means in order to study this the captain must be translating it," Don interrupted, "Meaning I defiantly need more time in that room to find the translations."

Leo nodded, "You got it Don, we'll go tonight," he declared.

"Can we sneak in the kitchen on the way?" Mikey asked.

"Sorry Mike, can't risk getting caught." Leo declined.

Mikey groaned as Raph snickered "Some Battle Nexus Champion you are Mikey, miss one little snack and you're whining like a baby."

Mikey glared at him "Can I propose the idea of eating Raph instead?" he asked.

Raph growled at him and hit him on the head. Mikey then pounced on Raph and they wrestled on the floor. Leo rolled his eyes, not even bothering to break then up.

* * *

><p>That night turned out just like the other two had. They snuck out the same way at the same time and searched the captain's quarters for anything useful. That night Don had managed to find a translator in the captain's room but had to do all of his translations in the little time during dinner.<p>

They had continued to sneak into the captain's room every time the dinner bell rang. The dinner and breakfast bells were basically their way of telling time. The breakfast one represented the beginning and dinner the end. By their count each bell had rang twenty eight times, meaning they were stuck i in that cell for almost a month.

At the beginning the time in the cell was mostly spent by bickering. Bickering and fighting from mostly Mikey and Raph, who got on each other's nerves twice as fast since they had been stuck so close together for so long. Usually the fight would begin when either open their mouth. Then they would argue about whatever the other said for so long that Leo would lose his patience, which grew shorter by the day, and try to break them up. This inevitably lead to more fighting.

Don tried his best to ignore his brothers and keep focusing, but some nights even he was pulled into the fight. It would usually last until one by one they fell asleep and start right back up in the morning.

However as the month proceeded the bickering lessened. They had not had anything to eat or drink since the day they left Earth, and no one came in to clean the cell, so eventually they were living in their on filth.

Eventually they started to spend more time sleeping then awake, especially Mikey. Since he had the fastest metabolism of the four he dropped weight drastically. And whenever he was awake he just lied down and didn't say anything. This scared Don into thinking he had some kind of disease. And eventually Leo was forced risk stealing food.

* * *

><p>It was the ending of the fourth week they had been stuck there when Leo was trying to wake up Mikey who was dead asleep on the floor by roughly shaking him. He frowned when the only response he got was a long moan. It wasn't the kind Mikey usually made when he was bored or hungry, this one came from true suffering.<p>

"Don, I can't get him up." Leo called to the genius.

Don sighed, left his studies and headed over to Mikey. He knelled down beside him to examine him. He opened one eye lid that closed the minute he let go. Then he felt Mikey's side which was now bumpy and starting to show his ribs.

"He's not going to last much longer without food or water." he explained sadly, then looked at Raph to Leo, "None of us are."

Leo sighed, so now it was between getting thrown off and stranded in space, or starvation. Being leader was really hard sometimes.

"Well if you're right about this Don then I guess we have no choice but to steal food from the kitchen." he said. "We just have to be careful about how much so nothing is missed."

"Hopefully they packed more then enough food for a long voyage." Don said.

"Only one way to find out." Leo said throwing a knee pad at the electric switch and shutting it off. "The last dinner bell rang an hour or two ago, so we have several hours to get what we need and get out." Leo explained.

"Yea but first we need to know where they keep the food," Raph pointed out.

Leo nodded "You're right Raph but at least we know where to start." he said leading the way out of the cell.

One of the few good things about being trapped in the cell so long was that it gave Leo's leg enough time to recover from the burn. It was now back to green, and although it had a few scars he could still walk and run as well as ever.

Another good thing about confinement was that it had given Don hours of study so he eventually translated all of the notes the captain had and made crude copies of the books. He also was beginning to learn the language the books were written in.

"Don you stay with Mikey, Raph and I won't take long." Leo said over his shoulder as he snuck out of the room with Raph by his side.

Don nodded and returned his attention to Mikey.

* * *

><p>The kitchen was near the captain's quarters and had a dark chestnut door. Leo lead the way and carefully opened the door and looked inside. It was the biggest and most crowded room on board. There was an oven, fridge, and many cabinets on the side walls. In the middle there was an old, medium sized looking table that was completely surrounded by dozens of chairs.<p>

Leo and Raph proceed in cautiously and started looking in the obvious places where food would be stored. They checked in the fridge, oven and all thee cabinets not even to find a crumb.

"Dumb pirates, didn't even pack enough food." Raph growled.

"Wait Raph the plates are still out and it looks like the cook's got the place prepared for another meal." Leo said.

"You think he's hiding the food?" Raph ask.

"Why not? Considering how easy it was for us to get in, he must hide the food from crew members who want to steal more." Leo explained.

Raph squinted at the the wall, then could make out a closet door in the shadows.

"Hide it in somewhere like there?" he asked, pointing to the door.

Leo nodded, headed to the door and carefully started to study it for traps of any kind. When he couldn't find any he slowly started to open he the closest door. As soon as it was a fourth open a sudden weight started to fall on Leo, which scared him out of his shell and he suppressed a gasp. It didn't take long for Leo to realize it was a body, and Raph was the one to realize it was breathing and had a cooking hat on. Leo lifted the cook back into the closest careful not to wake him.

Just as he was about to set him down the door to the kitchen slammed open and a crew man screamed, "We've arrived at port!"

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note<strong>- Oh no! Did they really get caught this time? Just have to wait and see, now just click the review button and type, simple.


	9. Chapter 8

_"Here we are Dash, my new lab," Streak smiled as he walked Dash into the small dark room._

_Dash was well familiar with this place, he had to clean it up after it's last resident had gotten sick in it, but was too polite to say anything. This was the first time someone had talked to him in a non-demanding fashion and he didn't want to do anything to mess it up. _

_He looked around the room, not much had changed. The vomit and other waste products had been cleaned up and the room smelled descent. The same old sheets laid on the same old bed and on the other side of the room was a small creaky desk and a chair. In the corner of the room there was a new cardboard box that he guessed must have belonged to Streak. _

_"Now I know it ain't much, but its a start, and I have big plans for this place." Streak said._

_Not much, Dash couldn't help but think to himself, an entire room to yourself was a luxury. Most of the hard labor crew, including himself had to sleep outside on deck. The navigator got decent sleeping space so his eyes would be sharp enough for the job. But again he didn't say anything, he just stayed quiet._

_ "You're a quiet fellow, aren't you?" Streak snapped him out of his thoughts._

_Dash just shrugged. _

_Streak smiled softly at him then went over to the box, "This is the only thing they let me keep from my last ship," he said._

_Dash perked up when he saw Streak pulling out something hard and rectangular, "Do you know how to read Dash?" he asked._

_ Dash looked at him puzzled, "Read?" he asked, truly confused, he never before even heard the word._

_Streak frowned and walked over to him, he opened up the rectangular object and pointed to symbols on the paper inside, "Do you understand any of this?" he asked._

_Dash looked down at the book then shook his head, it was the first time he ever saw a book before._

_"Well that's a shame, books and imagination are two key ingredients to going places, escaping." Streak said then sighed, "There's nothing I want to do more." he said softly._

_Dash looked at him, "What?" he asked daringly. _

_"Escape, escape this slaughter house,the thieves and murders on here." he said, then looked down at Dash "Bet you do to huh? Escape."_

_Dash looked away, "I don't have anywhere else to go," he whispered._

_"Course you do! You are traveling in Triangulum! One of the most logical and aware galaxies in the Universe!" Streak said, "There's so much out here to discover, I should know I've been doing it for years."_

_Dash looked curiously back up at him._

_"You know what I was doing right before I wound up here," he said "I was studying the stars, how they work. I was one of the head scientist on my research ship, the other two being my big brothers. We was studying some of the closest stars we could reach by ship, we were going to research their age, what they were made of, why they were here..." Streak stopped and stared out into space._

_"Now of course wish we stayed with our telescopes, studying from a long distance." he murmured. _

_"Say Dash, do you know what ship you're on?" he asked after a few moments on silence._

_The question startled Dash but he anwsered quickly, "The Astral Light." he said simply._

_"No that's the ship they stole," Streak clenched his fists, "You're now on the Ship of Murder, that's people call it now, even the people that make it call it that, it was suppost to be our biggest success, turned into our worst nightmare." he said stopping again and keeping quiet._

_Dash tore his eyes away for the man and looked towards the bucket. It wasn't that he wanted to go but if the Captain found him not working... _

_"You got somewhere to be Dash?" Streak asked._

_Dash quickly looked back at him and searched his mind for an answer. He didn't want to leave, in fact he wanted to stay more then anything, and tried to think of a decent excuse before Streak interrupted his thoughts again. _

_"It's okay, I've got work to do too" he said and started to leave._

_Dash looked after him and suddenly found that he could not stand not being near Streak, he gave him a feeling he had never felt before, he didn't know what it was but he wanted more of it, needed more of it._

_"Wait!" he called after the man._

_Streak stopped and turned around. _

_"D-do you need me to clean up there?" he asked pointing to the post._

_Streak smiled, immediately getting what he was trying to do "Well as a matter of fact it was a little dusty up there."_

_Dash felt himself smile too, out of eagerness, he felt weird on his face, but it was a good weird. He quickly grabbed his pail and mop and climbed up the navigation pole with Streak._

* * *

><p><em>The next couple of hours was filled with conversation, most coming from Streak. He went on and on about everything he knew about stars and the space between them. And with every fact about stars came another story of him and his brothers, Solis and Sidus.<em>

_"We were a lot like you, Dash." he said "Adventurous, young, eager. Our dad was obsessed with astronomy, he told us tales about it before we went to sleep at night. He talked to us about it so much that we too became obsessed and fascinated with the world above. It was something we could all share and be good at equally." he smiled, "We made the perfect team, the three of us, I would make the observations, Solis would keep track of what we already knew, and Sidus would analyze it, or put everything together." he chuckled to himself "You know once when..."_

_Streak's eyes suddenly cast to the other side of the ship. Dash followed them and found a small speck where the old man was staring, he squinted and immediately recognized the figure of the ship._

_He looked back at Streak who was locked on the ship, waiting for him to yell to the captain, instead he stood quiet and did nothing. _

_"Please don't tell the Captain," the words that came out of Dash's mouth surprised him and Streak at once._

_There was something that made out Dash after all. In a mass of stars he stood out but fought to keep his individuality in. All these years he's tried to suppress the one thing that separated him from the rest and hoped that it would go away, but it never did. It was one of the weakest things a pirate could feel, sympathy._

_Although he'd never even think of saying anything, he hated the murder that went on the ship. He hated it whenever they took over a ship and people lost their lives. Hated it. He hated it when prisoners that he took care of died on the ship, he hated the smell of death and it sickened and scared him. Maybe he was taught morals at an early age, or maybe he learned it from cleaning up the dead bodies, but he was not a murder like the rest of them, and he pitied those who died._

_Neither said anything for awhile after Dash's plea. Dash fully expected a harsh punishment and replacement, if he was lucky, instead Streak simply said "I wasn't going to."_

_Dash practically jumped at this. Never in his life did he think he would meet someone with mercy, who would spare an unlucky ship passing by, least of all a navigator._

_"You weren't?" he asked daringly. _

_"Of course not I don't want what happened to me and my brothers happen to anyone else." he said sadly and clenched his fists._

_"What did he do to your brothers?" Dash asked, even though he knew the answer._

_"Same thing he does to anything else that defies the fear his trying so desperately to bring," he said "Destroy it," _

_Dash could see the old man's lip quiver and his fists were tightly squeezed._

_He brought his hand to the old man's bone thin shoulder, a gesture he saw others do when they tried to comfort those who lost their loved ones._

_Streak gently grabbed his hand, "You're different from the others." he said._

_"I know," Dash replied then pleaded "Please don't tell."_

_Streak shook his head "Nothing good would happen if I do Dash, for now all we can do is save as many ships as we can from the shadows." he said. _

_Dash had fully acknowledged the use of the word 'We', he also heard 'for now'. The two watched the speck of a ship fly by beyond their view, unnoticed by the savages._

* * *

><p><em>When the dinner bell had rang the Dash reluctantly left Streak's side and didn't see him again for the rest of the night. The next day he had to clean the other side of the ship, so he didn't see him most of that day either.<em>

_But Streak was all he could think about, which was a strange change considering the thing he mostly thought about before was his fear of being replaced or killed. _

_After about ten hours of straight cleaning, Dash picked up his mop and pail and headed over to the navigator's pole, only to be bitterly disappointed that Streak wasn't there. He tried to just forget about him and move on but his heart was to heavy. The thought of not seeing Streak suddenly became as sad as attacking another ship. He had experienced that sadness many times since he was on Red Sun's ship, but it never stung this deeply and he suddenly relaized he couldn't take it. _

_So instead of heading back he headed to Streak's room. It was empty, this time the pain was deeper. He put down his mop and pail and slowly entered the room. He never trespassed before, but maybe he could get a feel of Streak by walking in his room. He was suddenly drawn to the box in the corner. He went over and dared to peak inside._

_But was utterly confused of what he saw. He pulled out a much smaller wooden box from the cardboard one and studied it in the light. Like most of the things about Streak, this was completely new to him._

_"It's a puzzle box." Streak's voice came from the door._

_Dash gasped and dropped the box on the floor. His heart was racing as he approached "I-I'm sorry I just wanted..." he tried to explain but was to terrified to come up with anything that made sense. _

_"Hey it's okay Dash," Streak said soothingly, "I was looking for you anyway, to show this to you in fact." _

_Dash took another look at the box in his hands, he knew enough to recognize the fine wood. Some of the things they stole from richer boats were made from the same kind of wood. There were different patterns on each side of the box. They were drawn in fine ink and beautifully detailed. _

_"Its kind of like a game." Streak explained "The object of the game is to get all the patterns right on each side."_

_He carefully removed the box from Dash and started to move around the sides, suddenly the patterns were all over the place and unorganized. Dash's eyes widened in wonder._

_"Now watch this," Streak said, and with a few clicks and turns everything was as it was. _

_He handed the box back to Dash._

_"It's harder then it looks, believe me. I just loved puzzle boxes when I was younger, it was my other obsession, next to astronomy." he explained. "I got my first one from my father on my Birthday, on the card it said 'With every answer comes more questions.' It was my dad's favorite quote, and mine too. It's probably one of the truest things ever said. I keep these boxes as a testament to that, and my father." he said, then looked at Dash "Would you like to see some more?" he asked._

_Dash nodded eagerly. For the rest of that night Streak showed him every puzzle box he owned. Then the nights following he taught him how to solve them. And when they had studied that for weeks, he taught Dash how to read and pretty soon he found that he was teaching all he knew plus something he wasn't even aware he was teaching Dash. But because of him Dash finally learned of what it felt like to be loved.  
><em>


	10. Chapter 9

The man barely had time to gasp before Raph tackled him to the floor and started to beat him as hard as he could without being to nosy. The cook awoke abruptly and quickly punched Leo who was still at the closest door.

Leo fell to the table and got up shakily. He then grabbed on of the plates and brought it down on the cook's head when he came charging at Leo. The cook fell down instantly and Leo turned his attention to Raph.

"Raph we have to get Don and Mike and get the shell out of here." he called.

Raph nodded and let the man's unconscious body slip to the floor. Then the two made headway to the cell room. They weren't that stealthy making their way there and it was obvious they didn't have much time before the whole ship was on them.

Leo flung the door open and called down to his brothers, "We're at port, and we have to get off this ship, now!"

Don gasped and glanced worriedly down on the still unconscious Mikey.

"Come on Mikey," he said, desperately shaking him, "You have to wake up! We have to go!"

Mikey made an hardly audible moan in response Don sighed and got to his feet, then stretched back his leg as far as it could go. Then as hard as he could he kicked Mikey square in the jaw. Mikey was thrown back and struggled to sit up.

"Oww, what was that for?" he whined feeling his jaw.

Don pulled Mikey up and dragged him out of the cell just as Leo deactivated the electricity. Together the four ran up the stairs and opened the door to find the entire crew of pirates, armed with swords, filling the deck.

Leo scoped the army of pirate with guns and swords. "Guess we're going to have to do this the hard way." he sighed.

"Excellent." Raph smirked clenching his fists.

"But guys we don't even have weapons." Don cried.

Raph quickly pulled four planks of wood from one the surrounding wooden frames.

"Will this suit ya?" he asked throwing Don a plank.

"Okay everyone stay near Mikey and..."

Leo was interrupted when a distinct attack was called. Then like meteors, bullets came raining down at them, coming from every side of the ship. The turtles immediately threw themselves to the ground.

"We've got to get to the edge of the ship!" Leo called.

'But we can't leave without the Mors Nigra!" Don insisted.

"Right, follow my lead." Leo said then jumped up.

While dodging the numerous bullets he swung the wood on an oncoming pirate who fell down instantly. Then immediately ducked to avoid the slash of another one's sword. The man brought his sword down on Leo again, who caught it this time and held it away from his face. From the corner of his eye Leo saw another pirate taking aim at him with his gun. Leo quickly yanked the sword out of the pirate's grasp and used it to block the on coming bullet. He then turned to the other man and took care of him with the sword.

Meanwhile Don and Raph worked their best to keep any pirates away from Mikey, who was barely able to keep himself standing up. Don swung at one pirate then swiftly dodged the other, just to get cut by the previous recovering one.

"There's too many of them." he hissed in pain and tried to examine his wound.

Raph knocked out both men with a powerful swing, "We can handle it." he growled and focused on oncoming attackers.

Through all the fighting Leo barely caught a glimpse of the captain retreating in his quarters. He suddenly looked up to see the man at the wheel frantically trying to park the ship. An idea popped into his head as he jumped in order to avoid to attackers who ended up hitting each other. Then he hopped onto somebody's shoulders and leaped onto the higher deck rail where the man was at the wheel.

The man gasped as Leo tried to pull himself on the deck and avoid the several bullets from below. He desperately ran over and tried to pry Leo's fingers off the railing. He managed to make Leo let go with one hand. But with that same hand Leo threw a punch at the man, who stuttered backwards. Leo then climbed on deck and knocked the man out with his sword.

He then turned his attention over to the wheel of the ship. He ran over to the shinning silver wheel and gripped it hard.

"Hold on to something guys!" he cried down to his brothers.

Raph kicked away another pirate and without another thought grabbed Mikey in one hand and the side rims in another. Don quickly copied.

The with all of his might Leo turned the wheel as far left as it could go. The ship turned so fast that the entire crew was flung to the other side of the ship. Some were caught by the rims, other's weren't so lucky and were flung out of the ship and vaporized by the surrounding shield. Raph and Don held the rim of the ship and Mikey tightly enough to stay in place.

"Get to the captain's quarter's!" he ordered and started heading down himself.

Don and Raph burst through the door.

"There it is!" Don cried pointing to the artifact still on the desk beside the bed.

"It's a shame you know so much about the Mors Nigra freaks, you could have made me so rich," the captain's voice came from the other side of the room, "Oh well, better then you telling everyone about what you know about Mors Nigra." he pointed a gun straight at the turtles faces and shot bullet after bullet.

Leo had just bolted through the door and quickly used his sword to deflect the bullets. While the captain started coming closer to the turtles, shooting all the while, Raph leaped over him and landed behind him. The captain quickly swung around only to be slammed in the face by the plank of wood. He fell to the floor, gripping his face in pain.

This gave Don the chance to snatch up the artifact and stat making head way out of there. Leo grabbed Mikey's arm and put it around his shoulder then dragged him out following Don. Raph hit the captain one more time then followed his brothers out the door.

* * *

><p>Once again when the turtles stumbled out of the room, what was left of the crew was waiting outside angrily. Leo quickly jumped in front of his brothers and started deflecting the mass number of bullets that came flying at them.<p>

Raph then jumped out of his brother's protection and started attacking the first groups of pirate's he saw. While Leo protected Mikey and Don best he could from the raging guns.

After a few seconds he could feel himself and his brothers slowly being forced to the left side of the ship. Eventually he felt his side bump against the rim, and looked behind him to see he was backed up against the edge of the ship, and out of places to use for cover. All around them the pirates were closing in.

Raph on the other hand had found himself in the middle of tussle. Something he could usually take out with ease, most of the pirates could barely hold a sword, much less wield one. However starvation and exhaustion had eaten away at the turtle and was taking a damaging toll on his fighting skills.

One pirate raised his sword above the head and prepared for a strike. Raph blocked it with his wood plank. The pirate snared and swung back again and slashed the sword again on Raph as hard as he could. Raph tried to use the wooden plank to block it once again, but the blow was too strong and broke through the wood and landed Raph on the floor. Another pirate saw this golden opportunity and plunged is sword at the fallen turtle. Raph barely had time to roll away as the sword clashed with the wood.

Once Raph had rolled away he could get a clear view past the masses of pirates. He immediately spotted his brothers being cornered on the other side of the ship. Using anger and determination he got up on his feet again and headed to help them.

Leo was starting to have trouble keeping away all the bullets, and since he was so preoccupied he had to leave all of those with swords to Don, who was quickly being overwhelmed.

Don barely managed to block a man's attack when another one attacked his side and threw him to the ground. Then it was a frenzy of slashes and punches from the others, as if he was a fallen deer in the feasting of a pack of wolves.

Those who got past Don finally made it over to the fourth turtle and started to seize him without any fight.

Raph pushed and shoved all who got in his way as he desperately scrambled to his helpless brothers. But the pirates were starting to try and tackle him. One out of the corner of the crowd one had success when he tackled Raph to the floor. In a moment others started piling on the two. All the while punching and kicking. Raph at the bottom was being crushed and beaten at the same time. As hard as he tried to break free of one, another one came and pulled him back.

Raph then closed his eyes, clenched his fist and with a battle cry kicked, everywhere as hard as his legs would allow. Several bodies were thrown off him and as soon as he got to his feet he grabbed one man and slammed him onto the bodies of oncoming pirates. Then he charged to where the pirates were assaulting Mikey and threw them off him. He was about to go help Don when yet even more of the crew came running towards them.

Now each of the turtles had to admit, an army of greedy pirates was to much for them to handle at this state, and the outlook of the battle did not look good.

Then the ship docked, by an oblivious man behind the wheel of the ship. Automatically a platform just behind the turtles extended to the the docks. It was a ray of hope in the grimmest point of battle. A rare streak of luck they hardly ever were gifted with.

Leo, not letting the miraculous opportunity go to waste, threw his sword at a rope which sent a sail falling down and hitting some of the crew members with it. Then turned his attention to the ones attacking Don and skillfully flung them off his brother.

He held his hand down at Don, who weakly looked up and took it. Then supporting his brother Leo called to Raph and Mikey "Guys the docks, we have to run for it."

Raph broke free of his attackers with Mikey and joined Leo and Don on a frantic sprint off the ship.


	11. Chapter 10

**AUTHOR'S NOTE-** I owe you guys a long apology, that if you don't hate me too much you can just skip and read on, anyway, I'm sorry. When I was out of state I had written one chapter then decided to update the next day, which also happened to be the day I left. Unfortunately things didn't go as planned. Anyways when I finally got back my internet was out for four days, and one day I lazed off, but I'm back. And unfortunately don't think my goal of finishing before something awful starts is going to happen. From now on I plan to update daily, (I can dream right?) to come as close to my deadline as possible. And I just want to add that the reason I didn't put the author's notes in previous chapters was because my roommate got very annoyed at me for staying up till midnight to write a chapter, so by the time I was updating he was fed up. But just because I don't write these notes that no one reads doesn't mean I don't care!

* * *

><p>It was Leo and Raph who really put strength into their run. In fact to Raph Mikey was practically a dead weight, and Don wasn't far off. Nonetheless with pure adrenaline pumping through their veins Raph and Leo managed to keep a fast pace throughout the sprint.<p>

The cross platform seemed like miles and miles from the docks. Behind them men were yelling at each other to close off the platform. To Raph and Leo's horror the platform did start to retreat back into the ship.

They reached the edge of the platform which now no longer touched the docks. Leo and Raph took a step back then leaped as far as they could and soared through the air. Leo lost his breath and time seemed to be slowed around him as he was suspended in air for a second. Then the turtles bodies crashed together on the decks.

Disoriented Leo found some sort of balance in his other wise spinning vision and urged his brothers forward. Back at the ship Leo heard shouts and curses to lay out the platform. This pressed him on.

The docks in the middle of the galaxy were nothing like the four had ever seen before. They ran through millions of different species of aliens all gathered as if it were a market place. The entire place, which held thousands of docks for ships to port, was covered by a glass dome, which held in the air and kept out the radiation. Whenever a platform was extended from a ship it too had a temporary air dome around it. Thankfully the place was packed, as it always was. Hundreds of ships were leaving port and thousands more arriving. Creatures of all sorts were trading different air looms, guns, and what the turtles took to be alien food.

Leo couldn't help himself but look around at the numerous sights and sounds that were foreign to his senses. Then the horrible sound of the pirate crew drew him back to reality. The entire crew was being dumped on the docks and immediately wrecking havoc to the already crazy market place.

Soon enough screams and gunshots filled the air as the pirates started harassing the traders and buyers. Leo took the insanity as a cover and found a small tent set up in the shadows. Quickly he lead his brothers in and snuck past the trader and hid in the darkest part of the tent.

"We need a plan." he panted, knelling while holding Don.

"They're definitely going to find us if we don't get moving!" Raph said urgently.

"Mikey and Don can't handle much more of this, we need to find a ship that's heading to Earth." Leo persisted.

"How would we know what ship's heading to Earth? We can't read alien language, and we don't have time to ask anyone." Raph hissed.

"Well what do you think we should do? Hop on a ship and pray it's not taking us even farther from Earth? Or maybe stay here and try our luck with the pirates?" Leo snapped.

The smell of smoke put an immediate stop to their argument, and the two turned to see that the tent had caught on fire. Without a second thought they leaped out of the tent and landed in the middle of a big brawl.

* * *

><p>Completely exposed in the moment of utter weakness, the pirates immediately saw the turtles and charged at them full throttle. Leo got up just in time to defend himself from several attackers. Raph wasn't so lucky and was tackled and shot at by another group.<p>

"Raph!" Leo screamed after hearing several shots go off.

Raph was crashed underneath at least ten bodies. He could feel his lungs wailing and fought for a breath of air. It was then he relaized what desperate savages these men were.

Several swords from different crew members plunged into the bodies on top of Raph but only made it down far enough to poke his face. Instantly blood from the bodies' leaked down onto Raph. Disgusted he waited for the men to stop twitching before he kicked them off him . However as soon as he was able to steal a breath of fresh air multiple pirate lunged their swords to him.

Raph backed up and tried to block as many knives as he could, but there were a lot of them and they were coming fast. He managed to kick off some of the first attackers swords but when the next wave hit he wasn't prepared and overwhelmed and got slashed several times on the arms. Raph grit his teeth in pain and started a come back attack, when suddenly a horrid thought popped into his head. Where was Mikey?

* * *

><p>Leo tried desperately to stay with his three brothers but the masses kept pulling him away. He sent a flurry of skillful kickers and punches to them but the numbers were seemingly endless.<p>

Suddenly one of the bigger, more muscular man scored a powerful punch onto Leo making him fly into a trader's tent. He landed on his shell and tried to get a moment where he could balance his spinning world. The mascaraed of pirates, however did not give him such a blessing and were on him in no time.

But Leo had managed to get more of an idea as to where he was at. It was a gun trade in the tent. Leo rolled out of the way as a pirate brought his sword down on him. Then Leo grabbed the nearest gun and shot the man as soon as it was in his hands. This gave him a short moment to study it enough to see that it was a plasma gun.

Then Leo once again stood strong and started to fire back at his attackers. As they were temporarily distracted he lunged through and headed to his brothers.

* * *

><p>When Raph managed to get another chance at freedom he ran in the opposite direction of the pirates. Even though the hothead thought this was a cowardly move, his arms were bleeding terribly and he could barely hold them up for blocks against swords.<p>

The groups was hot on his heels and every step burned through Raph slowing him down considerably. Desperately he turned right into the next tent he saw and toppled it over. It covered over and entangled him. The pirates raced there and began stabbing the lump in the tent multiple times. Raph though sensed the swords and was able to dodge them and crawl through one of the tears they made. He got out unnoticed since there were several lumps in the fallen tent that could have resembled him.

As soon as Raph was a good distance away from them he stopped and looked around. Probably a stupid move for someone being pursued, but he had no idea where he was now. He searched the crowd for Mikey but then something else caught his eye.

* * *

><p>When Leo finally managed to reach Don and Mikey, he saw Don was fighting as hard as he could but was hardly doing any damage to anyone since he was weak from being so badly beaten. He was just about to go assault Don's attackers when he heard a gigantic boom.<p>

Heat and force flung him and Don into a wooden stand. They crashed into it with a large thump, the stand collapsed on them and papers were flying everywhere.

Leo furiously fought from losing consciousness and weakly looked over to what made such a blast. The answer was a pretty proud looking pirate holding a basuka.

"Don..." he whispered in a rasp voice.

Don was shakily holding up a piece of fallen paper, "These are the destinations of the ships, one's heading to our galaxy."

This gave Leo a little strength, "Which one?" he asked slowly sitting up.

Then the man fired another shot toward them. Leo barely got a glimpse of the shooting missile.

"Look out!" he screamed and pushed himself and Don out of the way.

The explosion shook the ground blow them and did manage to make Leo and Don fly a couple of feet.

"We've got to get the others." Don panted.

Leo nodded then headed off to the pirates swarming the defenseless Mikey.

* * *

><p>The glint from the metal of their weapons was what really caught Raph's eye. He recognized his very missed sais along with all of his other brother's weapons being traded by one of the pirates in a nearby tent.<p>

Using fifteen years of hard core ninja stealth training he snuck over to the merchant and seller. They were making what sounded like grumbling noises to one another but Raph could see the merchant handing the pirate a little brown sack.

"I don't think so bub!" he yelled and leaped out of his hiding place.

The man tried to call for help but Raph had reached his sais in a second the next moment knocked the pirate out, then turned to glare at the merchant.

"I'm going to take back what was stolen from me now, any problems?" he snared.

The merchant gasped and cowered underneath his desk. Raph smirked, gathered all the weapons and ran to find his family.

* * *

><p>Leo punched, kicked and threw off everyone he came in contact with to get to Mikey. It was by far his most powerful display of fighting today.<p>

Don, not being able to be much help stayed behind and watched his brother cautiously, then he heard an voice call out in the alien language he had studied on the ship. It seemed to be universal because most of the writings were written in it. He gasped when he relaized the man was screaming that their ship was making the final boarding.

"Leo!" he cried "Our ship's leaving we have to go!"

Leo quickly flipped the last guard over Mikey and scooped him up.

"Go to the ship! I'll search for Raph!" he called.

"Leo there's no time!" Don cried back.

Leo looked around desperately and screamed "Raph! Raph!"

Then the echo of the ship's horn hit them and sent him on a sprint towards the ship.

"We can't leave without Raph!" Leo cried to Don, who looked at him helplessly.

Then several shots rung from behind them. Leo and Don stopped in terror and chanced a look back.

"Looking for me?" Raph said deflecting the bullets with his sais.

"Raph the ship! We have to get on before it leaves!" Don said.

"Right! I got you a little something." he said tossing Leo his katanas and Mikey's numchuks and tossing Don his bo.

With that they started a mad sprint again to find that their ship was already a few feet departed from the docks. Behind them masses of pirates came charging at them.

"So we're gonna jump for it right?" Raph asked.

Leo smirked, "Yep"

Leo targeted the pointed balcony at the end of the ship. Then adjusted Mikey around his shoulders so he could carry him on his back. Then taking a step back he leaped as hard as he could and gripped the sides of the balcony. He grunted and struggled to pull himself and Mikey up. As soon as they were standing Don jumped as well. Leo caught him in his hands and pulled him on, and then repeated with Raph.

Once the four were finally on the ship they looked back to see a large group of angry pirates cursing and screaming. The turtles laughed at them and made mocking faces. Raph stuck his tongue out and Leo and Don laughed in relief.

On the front of the ship it's name was carved proudly into the fine wood, _The Titan_.

* * *

><p><strong>AUTHOR'S NOTE- <strong>And thus the title makes sense! And we start a brand new era of chapters on the ship! So please don't be afraid to review and question where this tale is heading!


	12. Chapter 11

**AUTHOR'S NOTE-**Not the chapter I'm most proud of but hey at least it's here quick! So please guys bare with me in hopes these chapters will get meaningful.

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><p>"Says here that this is the Titan's first voyage." Don read from the brochure he found in a wooden box hung up on the wall.<p>

They were walking through the hallway that the back entrance had lead them to.

"It's also suppost to be impenetrable." he continued. "Strongest ship ever made."

Leo grunted softly. He was still carrying Mikey around his shoulders and his little brother was starting to get heavier.

"You think we can focus on getting something to help him?" he asked.

"There should be a medic's office right around the corner." Don anwsered.

Even though they had spent less then five minutes the turtles could already tell that this was by far the most elegant place they had ever been to. The walls were shimmering with beautiful golden patterns that were encrusted with diamonds. The floor was slick silver marble. An elaborate bronze lights hung from the ceiling.

Suddenly something not so elegant caught Leo's eye.

"Don what does that say?" he asked pointing to a piece of paper with their picture on it the was pinned to the wall.

Don frowned and squinted to read it, "Wanted," he read, "Four turtles, reward..." he paused and gulped "Let's just say a lot of money."

Raph turned to Leo who was suddenly quiet. "Fearless?"

Then Don pointed out the medic's door.

"Don we can't go in there, we'll get spotted." Leo said.

"Not if nobody's home." Don responded and proceeded to the door.

The door had a glass window looking into the office. When Don looked in he could see the lights were off and there was no one there.

"All clear." he said then went inside.

Leo carefully handed Mikey to Raph, "You go in with Don I'll stand guard," he said.

Raph nodded and went in after Don.

Once inside Don immediately put all of his attention on Raph. He went over to him to study his arms. They had several deep cuts on them, but thankfully the bleeding had stopped and they were encrusted with dried blood.

He went over to the sink and ran a cloth over some warm water.

"I can wait Don, ya gotta help Mikey now," Raph reasoned.

"There's not much here I can do about starvation and dehydration, and your wounds are pretty bad, I'd rather get them done now." Don anwsered.

Raph sighed and let him carry on. Don washed the wounds, applied cream then bandaged them tightly.

He smiled at his handiwork, "There it's a good thing we got to treat you before the cuts got infected, can you now call in Leo?" he asked.

Once the four of them were treated for their injuries they started searching the room for any form of a disguise. Don found a bunch of long muddy brown coats in a closet. And later they found a couple of gloves and boots.

"Okay," Leo said pulling up the hoodie to shadow his face, "These disguises will only do us good for walking around, we can't talk to anyone or bring any attention to..."

"Hey!" he was interrupted when the doctor walked through the door, "What are you four doing here?" he asked.

"Uhh, our brother is... space sick?" Don whimpered his lie.

The doctor raised an eye brow then pulled out a container of medicine, "This should do it, look for me next time, you aren't suppost to be in here without supervision."

"Right sorry, we're leaving now." Leo said rushing his family out the room.

"We're heading to the kitchen right?" Raph asked.

"Yes, hopefully we won't attract to much attention." Leo anwsered.

* * *

><p>As it turned out the 'kitchen' was an understatement. The turtles had found themselves walking into one of the largest, most magnificence dinning halls they had ever seen.<p>

There were literally thousands of fine, expensive wooden table that were spread around the dinning hall. From the ceiling large cylinder lamps were hung, it was surrounded by brown and gold glass making it's light the same colors. The ceilings were decorated with incredibly color and beautiful pictures of the galaxy. It must have been at least ten stories high. The walls were mostly made out of glass to see the millions of stars outside the ship. And some of the finest music in the galaxy was heard through the hall. There was also a long bar that rounded a corner, sitting hundreds of different creatures.

The turtles couldn't help but stop and stare in pure awe at the place, before probably the fanciest place they had been was April's apartment.

"May I help you sirs?" asked an older man from behind them.

They turned around to see him as tall and slender in a fancy embroidered waiter's outfit and gray side burns.

The turtles glanced at each other but before they could answer he rushed them to a table.

"May I start you out with a drink?" he asked.

The turtles looked at one another before Don said, "Uhh, we don't have any money..."

"Nonsense it will be charged to your card of course." he anwsered.

"Our card?" Don asked.

"Yes it works as your prepaid credit card and ticket." suspicion rising in his voice.

Sensing this Don responded immediately, "Oh yea, that's right, sorry forgot."

The waiter lifted an eye brow.

"Uhh I guess we'll have four of your tallest glasses of water." he said.

The waiter nodded and went off.

"What are you doing?" Leo hissed, "We don't have any cards!"

"Yet," Raph smirked at a family of four entering the dinning hall.

Immediately catching where Raph was going Leo put his foot down, "No, no we are not stealing from an innocent family."

"Don't think of it as stealing Leo, more like... forced charity." Raph smirked.

"No absolutely not." Leo said stubbornly.

Don reached over and put his hand on Leo's shoulder. "I don't like this either but if we don't do it Mikey will die."

His words hit Leo and made his stomach turn. He sighed and said, "I'll turn my head." as Raph preceded to the family.

Leo tried to concentrate on the numerous aliens ordering different... well it could have been food. There was a lot of varieties of it, but none Leo would come even close to defining as edible.

Raph returned a couple of moments later and handed them different cards, "Here's ya card Mr. Joetuzva." he said handing it to Leo.

Leo sighed and took it, he turned around to see the family, two parents, two kids, desperately explaining their situation to a uniformed man. Then they were escorted away.

"So much for being honorable ninjas." he said guiltily looking down.

"Splinter would understand." Don tried to sooth him.

Leo didn't answer.

* * *

><p>It was after they had their first sip of water after a month of being deprived of it did they realize how incredible parched they were. It was like a drop of rain in the Sahara desert. The three turtles gulped down their ice cold water not even a second after the man put it down.<p>

"More." Raph breathed slamming down his cup.

"We are really thirsty." Don's voice cracked as he put down his.

The waiter gave them yet another suspicious look and went to get more.

"Mikey," Don shook him softly.

Mikey moaned.

"Open up." he said then poured the water down his throat.

When the waiter came back Raph took one of the waters and splashed it onto Mikey's face. Mikey woke up with a start, very confused.

'Wha-where what? Huh?" he asked clueless.

Don smiled gently, "Here drink this it'll help you feel better," handing him more water.

Raph was snickering and Leo glared at him before ordering another round of water to the now highly suspicious waiter. After at least ten more rounds of waters they finally ordered food. When they were quenched they found they were so hungry their stomachs ached.

"We need to start off simple and then build up on our meals." Don said.

They ordered what Don took to be the alien version of oatmeal, but it turned out to be the alien version of swamp water.

Mikey's eyes widened at the plate in front of him, "There is no way I'm eating that." he said peering into the murky bowl.

"Come on Mikey, the waiter said it wasn't strong and still has essentially nutrients." Don explained.

Mikey sniffed it, "Dude it smells like that dude's pee."

"Just eat it shell for brains." Raph snapped and took a mouthful of his.

Horrid was another great understatement. It was probably the most vile thing that they ever put into their mouth. The only reason they didn't throw it back up the moment they put it in was pure starvation. So all four turtles toughed it out and ate the whole dish. It had defiantly killed off their appetites though.

"Urrggg, dudes I feel sick." Mikey whined.

"I think I liked him better asleep." Raph rolled his eyes.

"That will be all." Leo said when their waiter returned and handed him his card. The waiter charged the card and gave it back to Leo.

"I hope you found everything exceptional," he said in a fake voice, then under his breath muttered "Freaks,"

"Says here that our room is 765," Don read from the card as they were walking away.

"Woah!" Mikey exclaimed, "Look at that!" he pointed to the balcony on the higher roof then started running towards t.

"Mikey we're suppost to stay out of sight!" Leo called after him.

Mikey completely ignored him and continued sprinting towards the balcony. Then using years of skyscraper scaling and ninja skills climbed to the top of the balcony, also creating quiet the show for the onlookers below.

When he reached the small wooden balcony he looked below with pride. They all looked like ants. Then he turned his attention to the scene behind him. Stars littered the black sky. Meteors were flowing with them. He could even see a couple of planets.

He laughed to himself and screamed at the top of his lungs, "I'm king of the universe!"

Below all of his brothers groaned when his cry echoed the chamber.

"Is that your brother?" an onlooker asked Raph.

"Unfortunately." he snared.

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><p><strong>AUTHOR'S NOTE- <strong>So there you have it, and again if anyone seemed out of character in the least can you tell me in a review, I swear not to get upset. But hey if you think they're on the dot then review anyway!


	13. Chapter 12

**AUTHOR'S NOTE- **Well my goal of finishing before doomsday is now a dead dream. But just because I'm stubborn I'm gonna update 2 chapters today to keep up to date. I'm sorry if this might rush you but against all odds I want to finish! BTW I am changing the rating of these tale because of a graphic scene in this chapter. Well maybe you might not think of it graphic but I want to be safe.

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><p><em>Years past by. And in the nights that filled those years Streak and Dash would study together anything and everything. How to read, astronomy, math and the history of the universe. They would also do countless puzzle boxes.<em>

_Puzzle boxes were probably the only thing Dash couldn't soak up. He loved all the academics Streak had taught him, and Streak himself had said time and time again how fast a learner he was. But when it came to puzzle boxes Dash simply wasn't as good as Streak._

_Streak could have solved almost every puzzle box he owned in a couple of seconds with his eyes closed. Dash however worked hours on it and even then could only solve a few._

_The hardest puzzle box Streak owned was the one from his father. It was also the one he could never solve._

_Streak smiled and handed the precious air loom to Dash._

_"My father," he explained, "Handed this to me on my birthday and when I took my first look at it I swore it was the prettiest design I'd ever seen. Then just when I was really looking at it, he snatched it away from me and messed up the design, then handed back and told me to solve it, I never could." Streak sighed happily, "Not to say I didn't obsess over it. Every moment I had free from astronomy I worked on that thing. I worked on it for years and I still couldn't get it. So finally I asked my father for help but he refused, telling me it was something I had to solve on my own. Years past and I still haven't solved it, he still didn't tell me, even on his death bed he just smiled and told me I'll get it eventually. Well I don't really know how long he meant with that but it kept me going to today. I still can't get that blasted thing."_

_Dash examined it carefully in his hands, "And what makes you think I can get it?" he asked, annoyed that Streak was just showing this to him to remind him how amateur he was at solving these things._

_Streak shrugged,"Anything's possible, sides maybe you'll see a way to do it that I haven't."_

_Just then the first mate burst through the door looking considerably irritated._

_"Old man!" he snapped, "Why aren't you at your post, we almost missed a passing ship!" he shouted._

_"My time is off s..." Streak tried to explain before being interrupted again._

_"No! Your time is off when I say it is! Understand?" he snarled._

_"Aye aye." Streak muttered._

_Glaring at him even harder the first mate decided not to let him off so easily. "Come with me, we're going to have a little talk with Red Sun." he started to grab Streak when Dash gasped._

_The first mate looked at Dash and narrowed his eyes, "Cabin boy! What are you doing here?" he demanded._

_"Uhh..uhh..cleaning?" he whimpered._

_"Get out on the deck." the first mate ordered with as much anger that was creased in his face._

_Dash shot Streak a pity look and lead them out._

* * *

><p><em>Outside on the deck the entire crew was running around like crazy. They were preparing the cannons, missiles, and shields.<em>

_"What in blazes is going on here!" the first mate screamed._

_"I called an attack Shadow, any problems?" Red Sun's voice came low and deadly as he walked slowly out of his quarters._

_"No captain, not at all sir," Shadow stuttered and stammered into a solute._

_"Good now go to your position." Red Sun ordered and then glared to Streak and Dash,"Aren't you two suppost to be working?" he snapped._

_With that Streak scrambled up his navigation pole and Dash grabbed his mop and followed after him._

_From the view on deck they had perfect vision of the ship they were engaging._

_Dash squinted, "It's just a evacuation ship for refugees, nothing good there to steal. Why are we attacking it?"_

_Streak glared hard at Red Sun bellow barking orders, "In the wrong place at the wrong time," he muttered then looked at Dash, "The only reason Red Sun is attacking them is because they crossed his way, and if he let them go they'll spread it around. It'll ruin his reputation." Streak was practically spitting out the words, as if they were acid on his tongue._

* * *

><p><em>Right before battle Streak and Dash came down from their pole and separated. Dash went to find a place and hide. One of the good things about being a cabin boy was that he was not allowed to participate in battles.<em>

_He found a nice little sitting place in between a couple of boxes and crouched down there. The good thing about the spot was that he could see everything, and still not be seen._

_The first missiles were launched off and hit the shields generator's directly. Dash could almost hear the people screaming within the shields. Another set was fired on to the projectors. The shields flickered then faded away._

_That was when the real insanity started. All at once hundred and hundreds of the Astral's missile launcher were fired mercilessly onto the refugee boat. Now Dash could defiantly hear the screaming and he could see the ship exploding at all points._

_After a couple of horror filled rounds of missiles Red Sun finally called them to cease. Then he ordered the crew to extend the Astral's platform and connect with the barely standing ship._

_A bunch of crew members were armored with swords and guns and preparing to go over there as soon as the signal was given. Dash studied the men carefully then his eyes ran into Streak. Shocked Dash could tell he was armed appropriately, but his face was on of sadness and fear. He tried to cry out to him but there was no hope in the sounds of the battle._

_Red Sun's attack cry pierced through the chaos and stimulated the pirates to run on ship. Dash tried his hardest to keep his eyes on Streak but he eventually lost him in the crowd._

_There was no way he could just sit there when Streak was in trouble. So after all the pirates had made their sprints towards the ship Dash quietly followed._

_As soon as he was on the refugee ship the smell of death and combustion overwhelmed him. It was all he could do to focus on finding a hiding spot. He decided to hide among the shadows and a lot were being cast there. He crouched so he wouldn't be seen and tried calling Streak's name as loud as he would dare._

_Being on the ship that was being attacked was truly terrifying. Dash had never held a sword or shot a gun in his life before, unless he was cleaning them. And he could be easily confused with a blood thirsty pirate and killed on the spot. He usually came on board after all of the fighting had been done, but he felt like he owed it to Streak to be there for him, with him._

_While searching one side of the ship and trying to blend in with the dead bodies he heard a woman's voice right next to him._

_"Please," her voice desperate as she cried out, "Take anything you want just please don't hurt my child."_

_Streak then recognized a child's crying and looked up to where the mother was. She was holding her baby as close to her body as she could. Tears were streaming down her cheeks and she was pleading to Red Sun._

_"But my dear your child is a cage, binding you to it's father, but if I get rid of it then you will be free, for me." Red Sun's voice was like a snake._

_Dash could feel his heart drop and stomach turn at the monster's words._

_The woman crying silent furious tears shook her head rapidly, "No," she whispered "No! No!" she screamed as Red Sun snatched the child away._

_Dash tried but could not tear his eyes away from the sight before him as Red Sun threw the child on the ground and stomped on it till it's terrified crying stopped._

_His mother wailed and Dash felt tears of his own come down his cheeks._

_"Now now, no need to be sad, you're free now." Red Sun said._

_The mother screamed in anguish and ran over to start hitting him as hard as she could. Red Sun caught her hands in mid air and snared at her, "If that's how you want to play it," he growled and plunged his sword through her._

_Dash put his hand over his mouth to suppress the ballistic cries when he felt a hand rest on his shoulder. He looked up to see Streak who took his hand and lead him back to the ship._

* * *

><p><em>The worst part of Dash's job came after the battle. The pirates had killed all of two thousand passengers on the ship. When they returned they handed their bloody swords to Dash to clean them off.<em>

_It was late at night and with each sword in his hand Dash could feel the pain and suffering the person had went through. He cleaned off their blood and felt the guilt over the loss of their life._

_Tears hadn't stopped falling from him since the mother and child were killed._

_The image replayed in his mind when he picked up the next sword. He screamed in anguish then threw it down and cried hysterically._

_Then the door opened and a ray of light came in. Streak closed the door behind him and sat down next to Dash and started to clean the sword he dropped. Dash could feel comfort by Streak just being there. _

_For the rest of the night Dash and Streak sat there. Streak cleaning all the swords as Dash cried himself to sleep._

* * *

><p><strong>AUTHOR'S NOTE- <strong>Well I thought it was graphic when I wrote it. Tell me in a review what you felt!_  
><em>


	14. Chapter 13

The room they had turned out to be two beds and a very small desk and light at the end of the cabin. There as also a small hole shaped window on the back wall. There was hardly enough room for two of them to stand in at once.

Raph and Mikey groaned while Don clarified the room number and Leo studied it closely, "Small but we can manage." he said.

"Leo," Raph said sternly,"This room was for two small people, not four large turtles."

"Yea dudes, there aren't even enough beds." Mikey added.

Leo glared at them, guilt was still racking his mind, "Will you two stop complaining? We're lucky to even have this room! And after what we went through to get it you should be grateful!"

Raph and Mikey decided then to keep their mouths shut and let it go.

Don went straight to the little desk and made himself comfortable before pulling out the artifact he had tied tightly in his belt. Then pulling out some saved notes he started studying the thing intently.

"Well later dudes, I'm gonna go explore." Mikey said starting to head out.

Leo quickly grabbed him by the shoulder. "Oh no you don't Mikey, we're wanted out there, I don't want any of you taking unnecessary chances. You need some rest anyway."

"Aww come on! I was already stuck with you three for an entire month, can't I get one day of freedom?" Raph asked.

"No." Leo said sternly.

'Urrrggg!," Mikey whined flopping himself down on the bed, "This is going to be a long ride."

Raph took the other bed, "You know Mike I think that might be one the very first things you're right about."

* * *

><p>Don examined the artifact carefully then glanced down at his notes. He narrowed his eyes and started searching for anything on puzzle boxes. Back on the ship he didn't know exactly what to study about the Mors Nigra since he never got a chance to look at it. So he basically took the first things he saw. And very little of his collected information told him anything about puzzle boxes.<p>

After not finding something he didn't know he turned his attention back to the puzzle box. Obviously it was unfinished, maybe if he completed it, it would give him more clues. He turned a side of the box when suddenly it expanded by a eighth.

Don blinked and examined it closer. There was now a new tiny section. Was that a step in the right or wrong direction. He tried turning the piece back but the thing expanded again. Okay, so defiantly not a good thing he noted.

He then turned back to his notes and reread an article about the history of the Mors Nigra he had already gone over a thousand times.

Origins unknown, the first known owner was in another galaxy. This is assumed because it was found by explores in debris foreign from this galaxy. It was stolen a couple of cycles later. And found again a millennium later with it's deemed name Mors Nigra. Unknown where the name came from or who named it.

By the name having Latin origin Don assumed it somehow made it's way to Earth, why it was called black death he still had no clue. Then he finally let out a frustrated grunt and slammed down his papers. Then turned full attention to the puzzle box.

So far solving it seemed to be his only lead. He pulled out a piece of paper and a pen and started to write down two columns, success and failure. Then he labeled each side of the box and the each piece and started fooling around with it.

All the while the rest of them were bored out of their minds. This was nothing like the cell, at least they had hunger and escape plans to think about. Here they had nothing. Mikey laying on his shell started counting the lines along the ceiling. Raph played around a little with his sais. And Leo, Leo just worried. How were they going to get off this ship? How were the others at Earth? He hoped Master Splinter and Casey and April weren't too worried about them. If they were how were they searching for him and then the big question, how long had they been gone?

At least five weeks had gone by by there count but he had no idea of Earth's comparison of that. Even so five weeks without contact would have Master Splinter frantic. But he had a calm mind, Leo tried to reassure himself, he wouldn't do anything to rash.

Just then Raph dropped his sai and it clattered loudly on the floor.

"Aw dang it Raph, you made me lose count!" Mikey snapped at him.

"Shut up Mikey, everyone knows you can't count higher then three anyway." Raph countered.

"You better believe I can, how else an I suppost to keep track of how many ugly features you have... but you know what I don't think even Don can count that high!"Mikey yelled.

"Oh you just think you're just so funny don't ya there?" Raph yelled louder.

"Well at least I don't throw temper tantrums that almost get us killed!" Mikey yelled even louder.

"No your stupidity does that!" Raph yelled at the top of his lungs.

"Will both of you be quiet!" Don yelled from the back of the corner.

Raph snared "Oh and who do you think you are Mister..."

"Raph Mikey enough! I know this is hard but yelling at fighting each other won't make this voyage any shorter. So both of you keep to yourselves so we don't hate each other when we step off this ship." Leo demanded.

Raph and Mikey gave each other one last glare and returned back to their previous activities.

After about five or six more wrong turns Don finally turned a piece and the box didn't expand. His eyes lit up and he excitedly wrote it down as the first 'success'.

Then the sound of Raph's sai hit the floor again.

"Do you even know how to hold your own weapons Raph?" Mikey asked.

"That's it!" Raph growled getting up.

"Raph what are you.." Leo started before Raph snatched Mikey in his powerful grip.

And before Mikey could break free Raph threw him to the desk and he landed right on top of Don and his notes went flying. The puzzle ox hit the ground and grew a fourth of it's size.

"Mikey get off me!" Don ordered as his brother's weight crushed him.

"Oh you've so asked for it Raph." Mikey said getting up.

Leo then struggled to hold back the two turtles when Don examined his hard work.

"No!" he cried when he realized how messed up it was.

He growled deeply at the sound of his brothers behind him. So he strictly got up, walked to the turn and swung it open.

"Out!" he demanded.

The three of them looked at him bewildered.

Don narrowed his eyes, 'Now!" he screamed.

"Don we can't take..." Leo tried to explain before being interrupted.

"No I can't work like this, so go hide out in the bathrooms for all I care just get far away from here and anything having to do with my work!" he ordered and by the authority of his voice there was no room for arguments.

Raph and Mikey smiled. "What ever you say." they said in unison then ran out their separate ways.

Leo sighed, "I'd better keep an eye on them uhh?"

"If it means you leaving here faster then sure." Don snapped.

Getting the message Leo quickly ran after Raph. Don smiled to himself and returned to work.

* * *

><p>Mikey breathed in deeply to get the most of fresh, non-cramped air. He spread out his arms as long as he could and just walked for the sske of walking. He had no idea where to go, being free of the constant worry not be seen was a great luxury he didn't get often.<p>

He rounded a corner and saw a golden plate sign on a wooden door with red cushion covering the front.

"Hmm" Mikey said to himself, "Why not?"

He pushed the door open and came inside to a room lit up by elegant, diamond chandeliers. The entire room was beautiful, the walls were pure while with bronze outlining the designs. Beautiful music was being played live in front. And the fifty aliens that were there held themselves promptly with arrogance dripping off their features.

"Invitation sir." a short fat man wearing a gold vest asked him from behind.

"Uh.. I already gave it to you," Mikey lied, "I just stepped out to use the bathroom."

The man raised an eye brow, "But I need to know if..."

"Just go ask that guy, he knows me!" Mikey said pointing to the crowd.

"Which one sir?" the man turned his full attention to the crowd.

Mikey snickered and ran off into the other side of the crowd. Then when he was out of sight of the man he turned his attention to the dinner table, and almost cried.

Sitting right there filling up a glass bowl was his favorite snacks back on Earth.

"Extra Cheesy Frito Bits..." he murmured as drool fell from his mouth.

He walked to the snack bowl as if he was in a trance, then right before he could reach down and grab a handful a waiter asked him, "Are you going to pay for that sir?"

Mikey flinched "Yea, sure, how much?"

* * *

><p>When Leo finally caught up to Raph he wasn't too surprised to see him drooling over the gambling parties. With out a doubt it was one of the less luxurious place on the ship, but it didn't deem ugly by Leo and Raph's standards.<p>

It was dimly lit and reeked of the smell of beer. There were about twenty tables seating many different varieties of ugly aliens. They were mostly fat, green and covered with warts.

"Listen good Leo, I'm gonna teach you some real fun." Raph said walking in confidently.

"Raph we can't bring attention to ourselves!" Leo called after him and sighed when he was ignored.


	15. Chapter 14

**AUTHOR'S NOTE- **Hey guys, sorry some of these chapters are kind if on the silly side. But don't worry this is the last out there chapter then we'll get some juice... well I hope. Anyway these chapters are just my sad little effort to add humor to the story... how'd I do?

* * *

><p>Don laughed to himself. Right turn again. This was his third time in a row he had tried the puzzle box and it hadn't expanded. Then he suddenly stopped and stared intently at the thing. He held it up high and squinted. There were two words on it.<p>

He turned the box a variety of different angles and wrote down the letters. When he got them all he translated it to, '_With every_,'.

Don put his hand on his chin, pondering. He made a couple more right switches with the box. He was really starting to get the pattern of his successes once he wrote them down. It was really all a big pattern made up of smaller patterns. But it was still very sensitive, one mistake could mess it all up.

'_Answer_' he read, With every answer...

He then again held it up high against the light to study it more intently when Mikey burst into the room screaming his name. Don jumped and dropped the puzzle box to the floor making it expand twice its size.

"Mikey!" Don scolded. "I told you I needed to be alone for my work it's a very delicate project and..."

"I've found my sole mate dude." Mikey interrupted him and sighed happily.

"Yea well I need to...sole mate? Does she know you're a wanted fugitive?" Don asked suspiciously.

"Not a she dude." Mikey said simply.

Don's eyes widened, "Oh.."

Mikey stared questioning at Don's shocked face, then realizing what he was thinking quickly said, "Oh no! Not that it's an it."

"Your in love with an... it?"

"Yea! It's a bowl of Extra cheesy Fritos bits!" Mikey exclaimed.

Don just looked at him with disbelief. "So you're telling me that you came in here, disrupting my concentration, just to tell me you've fallen in love with a bowl of chips."

"No they aren't just chips, they're Extra Cheesy Fritos Bits, and I also came in to ask you for your card."

"What for?" Don asked, knowing he'd regret it.

"Well you see I saw the chips at this party I snuck into. So just as I was about to devour them this guy asked me if I would pay. So I was like 'Sure dude, how much?' And I gave him my card and he said that I only had half of what a handful of chips cost, so I came to ask you if you can cover the other half."

Don narrowed his eyes, "Don't you think that's a little expensive for a handful of chips?"

"That's what I said! But apparently Earth food is super rare and this is all they had on the entire ship. So can I have your card now?"

"No way Mikey, I'm not letting you waste two of our cards on a handful of chips. If you're that hungry just go down to the dinner and get some of that oatmeal we had."

"Dude that was not oatmeal, it was sewage water. I know because I live in it. Come on Don this is the only real food on the ship." Mikey moaned.

"No." Don said sternly.

Sighing in defeat Mikey groaned dramatically and dragged himself out. Don picked up his once again huge unsolved puzzle box and sighed.

* * *

><p>"Yes!" Raph screamed as his die rolled to an eight on the wooden table, "Oh yea, who's bad!" he laughed then collected his winnings.<p>

"Are you done yet?" asked a very unenthusiastic Leo.

They had been at the gambling room for the last three hours. During that time Raph had learned the most popular game they played there, and mastered it. It was called 'Odds and Evens'

Two opponents would roll the die until one got an even number and the other got an odd number. Then they would put down money and each would roll the die eleven times. If the number mostly rolled was even that person would win the money and vise verse. It was quite simple compared to all the card games Casey had taught him.

Raph's opponent grunted in frustration as Raph gloated.

"I want to placccce a bet !" a dark skinned alien said in a rasp voice from the dark side of the room.

All heads turned to his direction as he came into the light. He looked like a black serpent, only twice as long. He was ginning side to side, glaring out his fangs.

But Raph wasn't focused on the fangs, "You need hands for this game pal." he said.

"I can manage." he hissed.

Leo leaned over to Raph "Raph I don't think you should..."

"I placce down two hundred gold." The serphant said and slammed down the coins.

The entire audience gasped, biggest bet all day. Not wanting to be out shined Raph slammed down all of his winnings which equaled the same amount.

"So do I." he said determinedly.

The serpent smiled crooked,"You are a brave one."

Raph smirked and rolled the die, two and three, five.

"I'm odd you're even." he said.

"Very well." he hissed.

He took the two die in his mouth and spit them out on a table, one and one.

"Snake eyes." he hissed.

Raph glared at him and rolled, two and four.

The snake smiled wider.

After each of them had taken ten turns they were exactly tied. Raph shook the dice in his hands and rolled. The bounced off the table a couple of time before landing on one and two.

"Yes!" Raph cried out.

"You better hope I get even, for your sake," the serpent hissed so softly that only Leo heard.

* * *

><p>Mikey paced down the hallway racking his brain as to how he would get a card from one of his brothers.<p>

He knew Don was his only chance if he asked anyone, so he'd have to steal it from Leo or Raph. And if they caught him, he'd just play innocent and said he didn't know.

He smiled to himself, satisfied and was about to go off and find them before he heard a snap and saw a flash of light. Mikey looked over to the noise and saw a photographer taking pictures. He wandered over to the man with his photo booth and watched him capture a couple.

But they weren't posing they were laughing together then kissing. The man snapped the shot and Mikey saw that their poses as holograms on a flat metal sheet. They were repeating the exact motions.

"That's so cool!" Mikey exclaimed.

The photographer jumped and looked at him, "How much?" Mikey asked.

"350 gold pieces."

"Okay, back in a flash!"

* * *

><p>Mikey found Raph and Leo immediately once he followed the the sound of an excited, noisy audience.<p>

There was a big crowd surrounding Raph and the serpent. Mikey pushed his way through to reach Leo. "Hey dude, what's going on?" he asked.

"Raph's gambling for four hundred gold pieces." Leo anwsered.

"Really?" Mikey asked, smiling devilishly.

The serpent rolled the die, five and six.

The crowd cheered and Raph jumped out of his chair in joy. "Ha in your face! I'm the best there is!" he gloated louder then ever.

"Big missstake." the serpent hissed and slithered away.

"Raph you won?" Mikey asked hugging his shoulders from behind.

"You bet I did!"

"Dude that's so awesome!" he said giving him a high five.

"I know I am!"

"The absolute best!"

"Ha Ha!"

"I'm gonna need to borrow your winnings now." Mikey said scooping up all the coins and sprinting out of there with a record breaking speed for all turtle kind.

"Ha ha you do that Mike." Raph said still enjoying the cheers of the crowd, then realizing what just happened he snarled "Mikey get back here!" and took off after the youngest.

"Raph!" Leo called after him and followed him out the room.

* * *

><p>Don smiled satisfied as he returned the puzzle box to it's normal size. With a couple more hours of work he had managed to solve half of it and get the fourth word.<p>

It now read '_With every answer comes_ .'

"Donnie!" Mikey screamed once again bursting into the room.

Don jumped but this time caught the artifact before it hit the floor,

"Mikey I told you..."

"Just come outside with me and I swear I'll never bother you again."

Don thought to himself on whether this statement was believable. But then Mikey grabbed him by the arm and dragged him out of the room to the photographer.

"Here you go dude." Mikey said dumping all the coins on him, "Keep the change."

The photographer shrugged and got the camera ready.

"One,"

Mikey smiled proudly while Don stood in the corner with bored look on his face and his arms crossed.

"Two, three."

Just as the photographer started Raph and Leo ran into the scene. Raph had the angriest look on his face which pretty much read 'I will skin you'

There were three bright flashes. Raph blinked and then saw Mikey shaking the man's hand.

"Look guys we're holograms!" he shouted waving it in the air.

In his hands was a metal sheet projecting their holograms. Mikey was standing with Don for a second before Raph and Leo came rushing in, then stopping at the flash of the light.

"Mikey!" Raph growled starting to his little brother.

"Let it go Raph." Leo ordered sternly and gripped his shoulder.

Raph shrugged off his hand and stormed off.

* * *

><p>It was late that night. All of them were asleep except Don whose obsession with the artifact caused his severe insomnia.<p>

But after working on the puzzle box for ten hours straight his eyes were starting to drop and he yawned every second.

_One more click_, he thought to himself, _then I'll sleep_.

It was that last click however that completed the entire puzzle box. A light blue glow from the orb eliminated the dark room and immediately widened Don's eyes.

"What the.." he whispered.

Then the glow flickered out and the box automatically became undone.


	16. Chapter 15

**AUTHOR'S NOTE-**Hey guys, doesn't it just suck when you're so busy and the days just fly by. Well that's been this whole week, sadly enough. Anyway I wanted to thank all of you for sticking to this story so long. I know the other chapters may have been a little dry and this is a complex story, but I'm glad you put effort into reading it. So with that being said I want to personally announce that this will be my last chapter involving any attempts to add humor to this story. Now there may be jokes here and there but really no crazy antics. But don't worry, plenty of excitement will fill the next chapters, well I hope. By the way I just finished writing this chapter at 2:40 and I have to get up at nine tomorrow so I didn't get a chance to spell check. My deepest apologies and I hope you bear with me. So now that that's all out of the way, by all means read on!

* * *

><p>Don gasped and dropped the box as if it had bitten him. It clattered on the floor and doubled in it's size. Behind him his brothers moaned and shifted in their beds. Don picked up the box and placed it on his desk, then intently went to studying his previous notes.<p>

Unconsciously he had finished the quote carved onto the artifact, _'With every answer comes more questions.'_

He had not even the slightest idea of what that had to do with the puzzle box or anything relating to it. He also had no idea what had happened once he finished it. He studied his notes again, but according to the context no one has been able to solve it in thousands of years.

_Or if they did, it hasn't been recorded,_ Don thought. The puzzle was certainly challenging, but not impossible. He signed and finally got out of his chair with a new resolution. If he couldn't find any information regarding what happened when the puzzle box was solved he was just going to have to figure it out himself and write down his own conclusions.

He covered himself with blankets and lied down on the floor, Mikey and Raph had claimed the two beds, and Leo was sleeping with his back towards the front door.

Don pondered himself to sleep, being able to think of nothing else but the Mors Nigra.

* * *

><p>Don awoke to a pair of hands gently shaking him. He groaned and turned over, his body unable to even think of the idea of waking up.<p>

"Don we're going to breakfast, do you want to come?" Leo asked, even though his voice was calm and welcoming Don found it annoying beyond compare.

He shook off Leo's hands and murmured, "Five more minutes..." Then last night's events over took his mind, he shot up, "The Mors Nigra!" he exclaimed.

"What about it?" Leo asked.

"Last night I solved it!" Don said eagerly.

"Really?" Leo looked over to where the puzzle box lay on the desk, "Uh it doesn't look any different..." he said doubtfully.

"That's because when I solved it, a blue orb eliminated out of it, then, well I don't know it just vanished and the whole thing became undone." Don explained, though the eagerness did not leave his voice.

"You were dreamin' brainiac," Raph said leaning by the door, "Can we go now?"

"No it was real alright, I wonder what it means..." Don said thoughtfully.

"Maybe that's just what happens when you solve it Don." Leo suggested.

"No there's got to be more to it then that."

"Urg, dude are you coming or what?" Mikey said, who was at the moment much more eager for food then Raph.

"You guys go without me, I've got to figure this thing out." Don said in his most determined voice.

The others decided to leave it at that. Once Don set his mind to something it was hard to pull him away.

* * *

><p>"Ahh, so what's on the breakfast menu today guys?" Mikey asked as they were walking down the hall.<p>

"Same as usual Mike." Leo said.

"Oh no way dude, there's no way I can force that slop down my mouth again, and if I do I can guarantee you it'll come right back up." Mikey ranted.

"Mikey if you don't shut up I swear I'm gonna shove that slop up places where it can't come back out!" Raph growled, still holding a grudge for the lost winnings.

"Aww no need to get upset Raphie boy," Mikey taunted, "You weren't gonna spend those gold pieces for anything important anyway."

"I was certainly gonna use it for something better than a..."

"Guys!" Leo interrupted, "Not before breakfast please. Mikey you don't have to come with us if you don't want said. "But you do have to eat something," he insisted.

They came across to the same red velvet door Mikey had entered to the party, "No problem Leo, I got a special snack waiting for me inside here," he smiled gesturing to the door.

* * *

><p>At the dinning corridor Leo and Raph were seated immediately and ordered two of their rancid meals.<p>

Raph slammed his fist onto the table, "I can't believe that turp would do something like that!" he snarled.

"It's Mikey, it can't be that unbelievable." Leo smirked.

Then a hand grasped Raph's shoulder. He whirled around to see some of the aliens at the gambling games last night gathered behind him. Their ugly features, and rustic looks stood out in an elegant place like this.

"Time for the games." one said and smirked showing his black teeth, and tar drooling out of his mouth.

"What's the matter, didn't get enough yesterday?" Raph taunted.

"Many people get lucky, only a few can prove themselves over and over again." it replied.

Raph scuffed. "Well if you insist." he said getting up.

"Raph." Leo said sternly.

"Relax Leo, I'm just gonna play till I win back what Mikey took from me." Raph coaxed.

"You have an hour." Leo said and turned his head.

Raph smile and excitedly left with the others.

Leo sat alone for a couple of minutes and ran his fingers on the glass table. It was so clear he could see his reflection and feel like he was looking in the mirror. He looked down at the bored turtle in the table, then gasped when a black serpent came slithering up behind him.

"Leonaarrddoo." he heard it hiss.

Leo whirled around to face the creature, "What do you want?" he demanded, then something clicked in his mind, "How do you know my name?"

"Thiss iss him offficcerss." the serpent hissed and behind him two guards came holding up 'Wanted' posters of the turtles.

Leo gasped and stepped back. Then in a flash the serpent struck his chest. Leo stumbled back. The attack didn't leave him injured but tore his disguise which fell off his body.

Once he regained his footing, Leo immediately started to run in the other direction. But just as he got to step in the serpent lunged itself at Leo's legs and strangled them together. Leo fell to the floor and viciously tried to kick off the serpent.

The guards came from behind him, grasped his shoulders, forced him up then pushed him towards the captain's quarters.

Leo tried to break free but the men were made of iron. They were definably stopping the blood flow in his wrist. Before he got the chance to yell they gagged him with some cloth. As they tried to inch forward Leo kicked and fought back as hard as he could until finally the guards started losing their grip.

As soon as Leo was about to break free one of the guards got out his gun and smashed over Leo's head so hard it broke. Leo fell limp and the guards re-gripped him and dragged him away.

* * *

><p>When Mikey had next snuck into the VIP lounge something besides salty snacks caught his mind. He went over to another corner where a man was sitting behind a table that had picture of an envelope on it's royal blue table cloth.<p>

"Would you like something to be mailed sir?" the young man, with an bright face asked eagerly.

"Uhh, that depends, where can you mail to?" Mikey asked.

"We can send our mail to any post office in the Milky Way." the man said.

"Wow! Does that include Earth?" Mikey asked hopefully.

The man smiled, "Yes sir."

"Awesome!" Mikey cried and pulled out the sheet with their hologram replaying itself again and again. "Got any paper?" he asked.

In a matter of minuted he scribed down a letter to Master Splinter explaining all that happened to them, and being sure to emphasize that they were alright and coming home. He sighed as he finished the letter, suddenly realizing how much he missed his Master and everyone else back on Earth. At least they were on their way there.

He attached the letter to the hologram projector and handed it to the man.

"How long will this take to reach him?" Mikey asked.

"Umm I'd say about fourteen cycles." the postman replied.

"Huh?"

"Two earth weeks." he clarified.

"Man, is there anyway to get it to him any faster? It's kinda urgent." Mikey pleaded.

"Sorry not much I can do about that, but how about this, the first shipments of mail go out tomorrow, why don't I bump up your letter to be one of the first to be shipped out."

Mikey perked up, "Thanks dude, that would be great!" he smiled.

The man returned the gesture then returned back to work and Mikey resumed his mission for the chips.

* * *

><p>The first thing Leo felt was his head pounding. He tried to open his eyes but then felt his body suddenly jerked against something hard and cold. Then his arms were pulled and he could feel someone binding his hands together with what he took to be handcuffs.<p>

"That oughta hold you." a gruff voice said.

Leo suddenly regained his senses and instinctively began yanking on the handcuffs. He found they had cuffed his arms around a skinny metal pole that was apart of a shelf. But he soon found out he wasn't trapped by metal handcuffs.

"Give it up freak, those cuffs are made up of solid rocket fuel, hardest stuff in the galaxy, the only way to get out would be these." the man stepped out twirling keys around his fingers and Leo immediately recognized him as the captain of the ship.

"Pleased to meet you, I'm Captain Starport." he greeted sarcastically, "Now would you mind telling me where your brothers are, you four happen to be worth a whole lot of money together."

Leo glared at him, "They're dead." he lied.

Starport narrowed his eyes, "We'll see about that." he smirked and waved Leo's card in front of his face.

Leo's expression didn't even shift, "You won't find anything." he said determinedly, "And I'll be gone by the time you get back."

"Good luck with that." Starport sneered stuffing his keys into his coat pocket then exiting the room.

* * *

><p>It had taken Don far less time to solve the puzzle the second time around and as soon as he solved the last piece the light blue orb revealed itself once again. This time Don suppressed all reactions and stared at it silently.<p>

The stars outside the port hole were glowing like thousands of tiny suns creating shadows in the otherwise dark room. Don stared at the orb for long quiet minutes then looked to back of the room.

Suddenly he saw the shadows were forming shapes on the wall, shapes that resembled the Federation language. Don instantly translated it.

"Streak." he muttered.

Suddenly he felt a strong pull from behind him. He whirled around and screamed.

* * *

><p><strong>AUTHOR'S NOTE-<strong>Yaah! A cliff hanger I can be proud of! =) Hope you enjoyed guys, and hope you check in next chapter because its one you really don't want to miss. And please don't forget to take forty five seconds to review!


	17. Chapter 16

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**- I just want to start off with a simple I'm sorry. I know it's been a month since I've last updated and you probably forgotten all about the story by now. Which is cool, I don't blame you. Whenever an author of a fan fiction that I read doesn't update in a while I lose interest in it. Even when they update I just can't get back into it. Especially if slow updates are going to be a constant thing, which unfortunately is what I have to say here. You know the date August 22? Well I wanted to finish before then because on August 22 a magical wizard came with his wand and made all of my free time vanish into then air... CURSE YOU WIZARD! But anyway I decided to do this chapter this weekend even though I'm going to have to pay it because currently four very ferocious beasts are fighting over my time. And I'm trying to get to you guys. So against my better judgment I sacrificed hours I could have been using to tame the beasts, writing this chapter. Why am I telling you this? Well in part I'm hopping you feel bad enough for me to forgive me and however cheesy it sounds its the truth and because of these four beast updates are going to be rare and spontaneous. But anyway off to other news, I don't know what to think of this chapter, after four weeks my writing has somewhat changed since summer and if it's for better or worse I'd love it if you guys could be the ones to tell me. And if you are such amazing readers and decide to stick with this story I suggest you go back and refresh your memory. I know I should have! Okay enough of this onto the story!

**P.S** as always please excuse spelling errors since i hear the beast calling my name and threatening me if I spend any more time on this fic!

**DISCLAIMER- **I don't own the ninja turtles, man I've been waiting four weeks to type that!

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><p><em>It looked like just a dark speck in the distance, but Streak could not get his eyes off it. He knew better, he knew what it really was.<em>

_Ignorant, obvious, helpless, and innocent, the devil's pray._

_"Go go." he whispered at it whom seemed to be moving at an impossible slow pace. "Go!" he whisper got desperate. If only they knew what kind of danger they were in._

_The passage ship that was floating about 7 miles across from them would have been safer if they were on a dead set course to the sun. Miraculously no one else saw it and once the dark speck was out of his vision a bunch of souls would be spared._

_The only other person on the ship who saw it was standing by Streak's legs and chanting the same pray._

_It had been weeks since the last massacre but all the empathy, fear and anger was still flowing fresh in Dash's and Streak's blood. Neither one of them ever wanted to suffer though that again._

_Streak smiled and put down the telescope he'd been viewing through._

_"They're gone." he said in relief._

_Dash smiled as well. When one lives as a sympathetic soul on a ship of murder they cherish the living as much as they mourn the dead._

_After a moment of glorious relief Streak looked down at Dash and said, "You should get back down there before they get suspicious."_

_Dash nodded and climbed down the Bird's nest quick an smoothly. He was just about to pick up the pail and mop when he heard familiar and unwelcome stomps from behind. Before a voice came out of the furious mouth Dash knew who he was immediately but didn't dare turn his face to see._

_"NAVIGATOR!" The first mate screamed._

_Streak looked down and quickly saluted, but Dash recognize a scowl on his face._

_"Yes first mate Shadow?" Streak called down in an acidly voice._

_"Members on the crew reported signs of a passenger ship passing by, is that true?" he snapped._

_"I don't recall such a ship." Streak responded calmly._

_"You are not as blind as out want me to think old man! Tell me did you see the ship?" Shadow asked._

_"If you know the answer, why are you asking?" Streak asked mockingly._

_Dash sucked in his breath. Did Streak lose his mind? His tone alone would have earned him a whipping, but admitting that he wasn't doing his job was like signing his death away._

_Shadow seemed shocked as well, "Come down here Navigator I believe our Captain would like to have a word with you!" he cried up._

_Silence. Streak was scared, Dash thought, the Captain didn't take well to crew members not doing their job._

_Then it came. The single word that changed everything. The single syllable that had not been hear of in so long men had to look it up in dictionaries to learn it's meaning._

_"No." The foreign word trespassed through Shadow's unfamiliar ears and caused his brain to melt._

_"GET DOWN HERE!" Shadow screamed again._

_"I do not take orders from you!" Streak yelled back._

_It took everything Dash had not to yell reason at his friend. He was certifying his own death._

_Now beyond livid Shadow turned around and headed dead set to the captain's quarters._

_Fear rose from Dash's heart, now pounding twice it's usual rate and he gave a desperate look to Streak. Streak didn't even glance down at him and looked back into the horizon._

_Shadow reemerged from the Captain's room dragging the reluctant Red Sun after him. "He doesn't do anything Captain, he lets all the ships get away mocks me and..." Shadow complained to his master._

_"This better not be a waste of my time." Red Sun growled down at him, making Shadow shrink to the floor. Red Sun looked up to the Bird's nest._

_"Navigator get down here." he ordered._

_As much as the crew feared Shadow's demands, Red Sun's were straight from Satan himself. Every word out of his mouth was law, and denying him was a risk natural instinct wouldn't let them take. Like jumping off a sky scraping tower, disobeying Red Sun was death._

_Dash prayed, begged anyone who would listen to make sense travel back to Streak and follow the monster's orders, however fate was not kind that day._

_"Not this time Red Sun." Streak called from above._

_All the breath left Dash's body never to return again. He was frozen in his spot, having been paralyzed by fear._

_The aura of shock around the ship would not have been greater emphasized even if all the stars in the sky went out at once. Workers stopped their task and dared to inch closer to get a better understanding of the scene._

_"That was an order Navigator." Red Sun said again, anger edging his voice and hatred reflected in his eyes._

_"Why don't you come up?" Streak challenged._

_Shocked silence from probably all of the universe was the reply._

_"You are a coward Red Sun, always have been always will be!" Streak yelled._

_"You think with the more innocent you murder the more invincible you are. But you're wrong! For every life you take away there will be more to avenge them! With every heart you stop, more will pound harder with hatred. And once you kill enough people that they're hate eats up their fear, you'll be finished!"_

_Every word boomed, every word like a powerful hear beat in itself, for once words seemed stronger then anything in the universe. Red Sun stood in silence and then smiled._

_Color faded away from Dash's body and became white as a ghost as Red Sun clung to the pole and pulled himself up, laughing._

_"You've got guts old man I'll give you that!" he laughed, "But you seemed to underestimate me, a fatal mistake like your brothers made."_

_Streak backed up closer to the rim of the nest as Red Sun climbed up higher._

_"My brothers were never wrong." he growled._

_"Your brothers' fates were sealed as soon as approached your ship, and now so is yours."Red Sun hissed and climbed into the nest._

_On the very edge of the rim Streak glared at him, "My fate is my own decision!" he cried and let go of his support letting gravity begin to take him down._

_Red Sun grabbed the scruff of his neck just as he almost fell out of reach._

_"FOOL!" he screamed, "You think you can mock me without punishment!" he ran a sword through Streak's chest._

_Dash could see the tip of the sword enter through one side of the body and pierce through the other. Red Sun stuck his hand into the opening and ripped out his heart._

_Dash screamed as he held it up in victory. Streak bit his lips holding back an incredible urge to scream. No, not for his life, nothing that would satisfy Red Sun._

_The Captain persuade his lips to Streak's ears and whispered, "Who's the coward now?"_

_Then he let go of the scruff of his neck and watched him fall to the ground. For a couple of seconds the world was frozen and tears streamed down Dash's face as the Navigator finally came down._

_Streak slammed to the ground in a bloody heap and a sickening boom, the wood around him broke and crew members crowded around to see. Dash stood in still shock, fighting the irresistible urge to break into hysteria._

_"Get back to work!" Shadow cried from the background, but Dash noted the sick pleasure in his voice. Up above Red Sun dropped the heart like a piece of trash and it burst as soon as it hit the ground._

_"Well looks like a big dinner tonight after all." Shadow said as he passed the shocked Cook._

_He stared silently at the body then nodded to Red Sun. "Alright boy, lets get this body cleaned up for cooking." he yelled at Dash._

_Body, it was not a body that lie there. Lying lifeless on the floor was the only source of hope in the Universe. The single proof that love and mercy was not just a rumor and in fact lived within souls. Lying lifeless on the floor was the purpose of life its self._

* * *

><p><em>When a friend or family member is lost the ones that lost them cry. Shed tears in their memory and honor. They get to release their agony and move on.<em>

_Dash did not get such luxury, he was not even granted a tear. All he was given was harsh shouts and demands. Together Dash and the Cook gutted Streak's corpse as if it was some kind of animal. Dash longed to hold the body, bring warm to the lifeless soul. He wanted to patch up his wounds and just hang onto him._

_All throughout the process Dash couldn't help but replay every word with Streak he had ever shared. Never has he thought of having him there as such a luxury. What he would do if only breath filled his lungs once more._

_Dash watched expressionless as the cook made several more cuts to the corpse. Ruining old wrinkled skin that used to touch Dash with affection. Out came spilling whatever blood was left. Dash flinched at the sight of the broken bones jerking out of his friend's skin. Most of his insides had burst with the fall. A gruesome smell of death filled the room._

_It was the darkest hour of his life._

_But finally it ended. The cuts ended, everything was extracted and pulled from him. There was nothing left but skin and bone, not even blood. To anyone else it was lifeless remains, but to Dash he could still see Streak's corpse within it. He could still see the old man's face. But even to the skin and bones he was not allowed to touch, to mourn over. The rest of Streak was thrown away and the Cook called every member for dinner. Dash walked to Streak's old room. He'd never eat again._

_Finally he was alone again. In Streak's room, the one place that brought him happiness now filled every part of him with grief. He crawled onto the matted bed and waited for the tears. He planned to drown himself in them. Once he started he'd never stop and when there was enough excess grief he'd lay into it and wait until he end came. Or he'd just cry until he died of dehydration, or simply anguish. Then he'd join Streak and his brothers and they'd live in peace forever._

_But no, life didn't work that way. Especially on the Astral. All Streak was now was a course for the others, and tears didn't come to Dash. Try as he might he couldn't cry. He couldn't even receive the mercy of death and agony. All he grief and anguish had absorbed into him, and came out as a deep dark hate._

_It was then when Dash relaized what he was before he meet Streak, no one, nothing. He was just the cleaner when all the bloodshed was done. It was also then when he relaized he could never go back._

_An urging force pushed him out of Streak's bed and to his puzzle boxes, his treasures. Dash took one, and screamed._

_Agony turned into vengeance as he saw Red Sun murdering Streak again and again. Holding up a still beating heart as if it were a trophy. He threw the puzzle box into the wall and it slammed into pieces._

_All he ever did was serve this murder, and for what? Just so he could witness more death. He used to think surviving was strength, Streak always said there was something better out there._

_But he was wrong, probably about that one thing, but he was dead wrong. There was nothing to live for. Surviving wasn't strength, it was power. A life was a bullet in a gun. A bullet to Red Sun._

_Streak took a shot at Red Sun and missed, but Dash would make sure he would hit him, and he'd make it fatal. Mercy would not and never would have a say again._

_Dash took more and more puzzle boxes, destroying everyone he touched. Then stopped when he felt a certain one. One that he recognized immediately. The only one Streak had never solved._

_Dash bit his lip, no. It wasn't going to end there he wouldn't let it. He turned all of the hatred and anger into fierce obsession and ripped through the puzzle box. Tackling it like never before._

_The world around him seemed to stop. Everything went into the solving it, everything. All the hatred, the unshed tears, painful memories went into each turn of a piece. But it was tricky, every wrong turn the box would grow in size._

_That however didn't matter to Dash. In fact he never wanted to solve it. It was giving him an outlet, a glorious outlet where he could finally release the agony pressing him down. But it was never enough, as much anger he took out on the puzzle the more misery invaded through him. With every right turn he could see Steak's smile, and with every wrong he could hear his laugh._

_"Why are you doing this to me?" he whispered to the box._

_His vision never veered from it. He never stopped working on the box, he made it his sole focus and then all of a sudden it was done. With one final click the true design of the box revealed itself._

_Dash stared down onto the thing that vexed Streak for nearly his entire life. He was right, it sure was a beautiful design. No beautiful was an understatement, Dash though to himself. This thing was more then beautiful, it was incredible. His fingers traced the soft swirling carvings around the box._

_Then like a burst of ice into his face sadness overcame him. Streak saw this, fell in love with it, and now could never see it's completed form again. Dash held it tightly to him._

_Streak was now not the most prominent thing on his mind. He was the only thing on his mind. His teachings, stories, past. The only thought after the time he completed the puzzle box other then Streak was his murder, Red Sun._

_Dash placed down the box and looked out toward the black sky. Vengeance completely over took him. Everything else he was and felt was now only a memory along with Streak. Dash had died along with his friend, and his only remains were the feelings of fury._

_Only one thing in the Universe was powerful enough to stop something as big as the Astral Light, and lucky for Dash Streak taught him everything there was to know about it._

* * *

><p><em>Life went on normally for the rest of the crew. Streak to them was just another dead idiot, and there were now a growing pile of those since the severe lack of food. It was not uncommon for anyone to die of anything but a fatal disease to be eaten by the starving crew. They were growing weaker and more desperate, but they moved on, and so did Dash.<em>

_Every morning for the next couple of months he continued his normal ritual. And at night, he worked. He studied, collected, and learned from all of Streak's surviving documents._

_One night, a night he recalled Streak telling him it was his birthday, Dash carved the quote into within the puzzle box. "With every answer comes more questions."_

_It took him years to finish, years that ad made him into a hard rock with no feeling or mercy, years that created the greatest weapon ever seen. And finally came the morning where Dash would finally get revenge._

* * *

><p><em>It was a great day on the Astral Light, they had just spotted a trade ship and were going at it for all it was worth.<em>

_"Cabin Boy prepare the crossing!" Red Sun ordered Dash as he searched for his weapons._

_Dash glanced at it and waited. One Red Sun gathered all of his weapons he smeared at the boy._

_"I thought I told you to prepare the crossing!" he yelled when he looked back and saw Dash just standing there._

_Dash smirked, "I'm sorry captain but you won't be the one murdering today," he said mockingly, then narrowed his eyes and glared at Red Sun "I will!" he yelled and pulled out the puzzle box._

_Red Sun stared at him for a moment, then burst out laughing. "You, a cabin boy, think you can stop me?" he laughed harder then anyone had ever seen._

_"It's not a matter of doubt Red Sun, it's fate, you and everybody on this ship are going to die today." he said in a stern tone._

_The crew was silent and Dash continued, "You have two options Red Sun, either take your death with descent and apologize to those whose lives who have ruined, or die like the bloody coward you are!" he roared._

_Red Sun narrowed his eyes and aimed a gun at Dash, "You just dug your own grave." he said and fired the gun._

_The second the ring went off Dash twisted the last piece of the puzzle and screamed "Streak!"_

_Everything happened at once. With the power of an irresistible force planks of wood flung out of the structure. Everything was shaking with violence The mast cracked and was ripped apart plank by plank in mid air. The crew screamed their death as they watched their skin peel off in front of them. Having only one more glimpse of life Dash turned around to view his creation._

_And behind him swirling it's dark brutal force, was the black hole. The force of destruction that ate up all Triangulum was and had ever been and made sure it all was forgotten._

* * *

><p><strong>AUTHOR'S NOTE-<strong>Wow that was long, well at least for my taste. Well looky here the plots finally met. Yah! And I know I don't really deserve it but I wouldn't mind if some of you readers who made it down here review?


	18. Chapter 17

**AUTHOR'S NOTE-**Well if you want the full apology for waiting so long to update please revisit the previous chapter, not that I not as sorry as I was then, I just don't want to waste time typing this when it could be updating for yous. And by the way just to clear up any confusion on last chapter,that was the chapter that revealed that Dash was the creator of the Mors Nigra, which was the puzzle box he used to kill Red Sun (I was rereading it and was afraid it was unclear).Anyway I hope this chapters up to par with the quality of the others. If not I humbly apologize and would like to here your opinion on it. But enough of this, onto the story.

**DISCLAIMER- **I own as much as I did in previous chapters, and that was nothing.

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><p>At the moment it was a small dark hole. But Donatello knew better. He knew exactly what devastation lay in front of him. It was a starting point. It starting swirling around and pulling light gravity towards it. The entire contents of the room started to shake and waverer towards it. It, the small hole, a spawn of a monster.<p>

Don fell out of his chair and frozen in a combination of awe and fear on the floor. He knew what the little spawn would become, from all the documentaries, from all the novels he knew he was staring at the beginning of a black hole. He also knew in a matter of hours that small hole would become a swirling vortex that would swallow the entire ship.

All of a sudden the small hole expanded. The small rip in the fabric of the universe was suddenly torn sudden rapid growth sent a jerk throughout the entire ship, making the entire thing rock. In the cabins below where Don's room was like coming in contact with the impact of a bomb.

Don was thrown against the wall so hard his shell made an imprint. He felt his head slam onto the steel and swore he heard a crack from within him. He sunk to the floor and fought the wooziness threatening to overcome him.

Then came a pull, stronger then anything Don had ever encountered, the black hole sucked the furniture right into it as if were feathers. Don desperately searched for something he could hang onto. Once he felt the door knob he gripped it with all his strength. In a moment the pull nearly flung his entire body into the hole, but his hands still stubbornly gripped the knob. His body floated horizontally and Don screamed as he felt his body being torn right down the middle. Even though it lasted mere moments it felt like agonizing years.

Finally the black hole lessened it severe grip and started to eat through the other side of the wall. The wall and the protection it provided were quickly diminished and the suction of space burst in, stealing all of the oxygen and introducing a new kind of agony.

Don pulled at the door knob as the walls surrounding him were vanquished. His oxygen deprived lungs straining It was like a slow motion effect of the catastrophic explosion of an atomic bomb.

Don yanked as hard as he could and finally broke through to enough strength to open the door. Don hurled himself outside and slammed the door behind him, then collapsed on the floor gasping for air.

But the moment of relief was short lived as a stampede of the other passengers rampaged through the halls. Don picked himself up and ran toward the stairs before getting trampled.

* * *

><p>Leo strangled in his handcuffs as Starport began leaving the room. Suddenly a jerk burst throughout the room making Leo and Starport fall to the floor. Leo slid down the pole and held it tight as the whole room shook for a couple more moments.<p>

Starport gathered himself off the floor, "What was that!" he roared.

A nearby attendant quickly scrambled towards the monitors and typed frantically, "There's an opening in the lower right side cabins!" he cried, "And it's getting bigger by the minute!"

Leo looked up with concern, lower right side was where Don was.

Suddenly all the communicators in the office went off at once.

"Whats the situation?" Starport growled into the closest communicator.

"There's an opening in part of one of the cabins, it's gonna make the entire ship collapse within itself, we have to call for an evacuation, now!" the voice on the other side yelled.

"Very well." agreed the Captain, then turned to another servant, "Order everyone onto the escape pods." he ordered.

"But sir there aren't enough pods for every passenger on the ship!" the attendant cried.

"Then we will only let those of the upper class onto one." He dialed a number on the communicator, "Lock the gates to all the lower class compartments." he ordered.

He slammed down the communicator and scowled at Leo, "Well it appears I can't get the money from you after all, pitty they only accept you alive." he sneered and started to walked away with the attendant following nervously behind.

Leo's heart thumped, "NO!" he cried and gripped the pole with all of his strength. Then using it as support, he swung his legs for a direct contact kick to the captain's face.

The captain fell to the floor and Leo saw the keys clatter and roll under a desk.

"Captain Starport!" the attendant cried and helped him up.

Starport growled, "Guards!" he yelled.

Once again Leo felt them slam something onto his head. With a grunt he slumped to the floor, and tried to focus on the faint image of the keys under the desk, also praying that Starport wouldn't notice.

The last thing he heard was Starport's satisfied grunt as everything turned black.

* * *

><p>The jerk on the upper parts of the ship rattled the glass and made many passengers lose their footing, Mikey included. There was a roomful of gasped as it ran through them, then everyone staring asking the same question, 'What was that?'<p>

Then a scream of mortifying fear cut through the confusion and lead the people into the hallways to investigate.

A worker stood by the gates that closed off the cabins from the main hall, locking them shut.

"What are you doing?" a voice within the crowd asked.

The man swirled around to see the gathering and scowled, "The ship's going down, get to the escape pods quick!"

The crowd murmured doubt and hesitated.

"Did I stutter!" he screamed, "Get to the escape pods, and hurry there's not enough for everyone!"

Still intrigued with doubt, the crowd headed toward the launching deck. Mikey stayed behind and gasped as some passengers from the other side of the gates slammed into them. One of them jerked the handle and screamed at the worker, "Unlock the gates, hurry!"

The worker stuffed the card, used for locking and unlocking access points, in his pockets and walked away. The creatures eyes widened, "Where are you going, come back here and help us!" he screamed.

The worker continued to stride away, unfazed. Mikey gripped his shoulder. "Dude you just can't turn your back on these people!" he exclaimed.

The man shook off his hand, "Didn't you hear me?"he snapped "There aren't enough escape pods for everyone, if I let them out they would issue chaos on the launching decks!"

"So you're just gonna leave them there?" Mikey cried.

"Be thankful you are not one of them." he said and walked away.

* * *

><p>Don became one of the crowd, the frantic crowd running towards the exit, for behind them the walls were diminishing and the pull of space was getting stronger and stronger.<p>

A small creature beside Don could not keep up with the run, it slowed down but was then immediately pushed by an oncoming passenger. The small thing screamed and was pulled back into the black hole in a second's time. Don dared to glance a look back, if that had been him it would have be internal darkness, or suffocation, or combustion from with inside, or being crashed by gravity, or something even more horrific it was unthoughtful of.

He furiously shook off his thoughts. What mattered was the present. He returned his focus back into the desperate run the exit. Finally he saw the lights of the main halls and was about to take off full force when he noticed a crowd of people _standing_ by the exit.

He barely stopped himself in time to save from a crash. The passengers around him were screaming and cursing, they were fighting each other to get closer to the gate and the ones who were there were rattling it with all their might.

Don looked behind himself in horror to see the walls being depleted at a horrifying speed. He fought against the crowd of frantic souls and pushed his way until he could feel a railing of the gate. He then gripped it as hard as he could and strained to get a look out.

It was at that moment when it hit him. This was it, this was his end fate. There was no way the gate could get opened, after all it had just taken a beating from more then a hundred frantic passengers, and there was no other way out. He was going to die. Oxygen was already low and he felt as if he were holding his breath underwater.

He finally strained to get a final look at light before darkness over came him. He pressed his face onto the rails and saw the main walls starting to diminish. The strain on his lungs was beginning to inflame them. Then he saw Mikey, looking emphatically at the desperate, screaming creatures.

Relief flooded through Don for a quick second, then he screamed, "MIKEY!" as loud as his burning lungs would allow.

Luckily Mikey's hearing was acute to his brother's voice and he saw Don in a moment.

"Don!" he cried and ran over to his brother.

"Mikey," Don gasped "You've got to unlock the gates!"

"Don't worry I saw the guy who locked them, I'll find his card in a second." he said and turned to leave.

"Mikey!" Don's voice persisted, Mikey glanced back at him, "Please hurry back." he hoarsely whispered.

Mikey went over to him and grabbed his hands through the railing. "I will just hold on." he said looking at him directly in the eyes.

Don nodded and Mikey slowly let his hands fall and ran out to find the guard.

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><p><strong>AUTHOR'S NOTE- <strong>Well now we finally get to see some action, or at least my excuse for action. I apologize for any grammar/ spelling errors on my part. Beta Readers are welcomed to chew me out on that, and for the regular reader, why don't you tell me how you felt about the cliffhanger, or you could tell me about the time you first rode you bike, I don't care just review!


	19. Chapter 18

**AUTHOR'S NOTE- **Never ever sign up for something that you know will cause you so much misery. That's what I did and that's why I'm suffering, weekend after weekend. And why I must once again apologize for the span of time between updates. But I'm telling you now I will complete this story. Even though I started in July and now it's November (WOW!) I will not discontinue it and I hope you will do the same, but I understand if you have lost interest. Now personally I really like this chapter, even though its majorly confusing, because I did some scenes in here that I've been looking forward to writing for awhile now and I hope you enjoy them too. Okay on with the story no ones really reading this!

**DISCLAIMER- **I do not own either TMNT or TNT... but one I can get...

* * *

><p>Raph had just dealt the first hand when the entire ship rattled so hard it threw almost all the gamblers out of the room, though Raph kept a steady hold on himself and managed to keep from falling onto the floor.<p>

"What was that?" Raph asked aloud only getting groans in reply.

Raph stood up and started to make his way towards the exit when the serpent holding a fine bag of gold in his mouth slithered into his path.

"Excussssse me." He hissed and tried to make his way past Raph.

Raph raised an eyebrow, "Where'd you get that? I won all your money yesterday."

The Serphent stopped and glared at him, "You mean ssstole it! You cheating, wretched freak!" He cried.

"Yo Serpent wheres our cut?" a gambler asked standing up and wiping himself off.

"Yea you said we'd each get a cut if we helped you rat the turtles out!" another one exclaimed.

"What!" Raph cried and gripped the serpent's skin. "How did you know who we were!"

"Do not take all us Federalisssts for foolssss Raphael, there'sss a reasson we're sssoo good at poker!" he anwsered.

Raph surrendered his grip on the snake and glared at his 'poker buddies' still greedily staring at the bag of gold.

"Who did you tell?" he demanded.

"If I were you, I'd be worried about bigger things Raphael, like the sssafety of your sssibling."the Serpent hissed.

Raph gave him a second's perplexed look, then widened his eyes, "Leo!" he cried and ran out of the room.

* * *

><p>Mikey frantically ran through the halls looking for any man in uniform. The look of Don's desperate face burned through his memories and clouded his vision. He had never heard such fear in his brother's voice.<p>

He hardly noticed the unmoving masses of people and only regarded them as a roadblock.

"Hey I need to get by! Move!" he screamed, pushing hulking creatures to the side as he tried to press forward.

Then one giant hand gripped his head and held him in place, "Hold still kid, you have no more of a chance gettin outta here then the rest of us, even if you are small and squirmy." A deep voice boomed from higher then Mikey cared to look.

Mikey hardly paid him any mind and had his sights set on the hundreds of men in uniform directing passengers into the escape pods.

Mikey gulped and searched his memories for the face of the man who had locked his brother behind bars, but to no avail.

He clenched his fists, if only he hadn't let that monster run away, if only he had stood up for the strangers. But that was just it, they were strangers, not lives behind those bars. Now Don was behind them and those strangers lives suddenly did matter, everyone behind those gates had someone who cared for them on the outsides, but Mikey was not one of them and therefor he left them to die, he was no better then that guard.

Mikey shook off his guilty thoughts for later, really trying to forget all of those desperate screams and pleas, and even though he wasn't the one to lock them up their cries of fear and desperation would haunt him until the day he died.

He ran up to the closest guard he could see and punched him in the face. The directly hit blow landed him unconscious on the floor and Mikey searched him for his card. Once he found it he grabbed it and ran off to his next victim.

Behind him passengers were fighting each other to the death for a spot on the escape pod. They were already running low, and everyone on the launching deck was well aware that there weren't enough pods for everyone, and anyone left behind would die.

* * *

><p>In the first few moments after Mikey left screams and cries from the other desperate passengers were deafening. Don clenched onto the bars with everything he had while his hears were ringing. The world had suddenly slowed down into slow movements of shakes and screams.<p>

However the sea of terrified passengers was growing thin, deteriorating almost as easily as the surrounding walls.

The Black hole was growing bigger, and it's force was becoming stronger. Almost every poor soul who had not managed to get a grip on the bars of the gate and been sucked up and eaten by the darkness. Those who remained were deprived of oxygen.

Don's lungs had never burned so much and he was sure they were swelling up and going to burst. The longest he could go without a single breath of air was about 50 seconds, last time he and Mikey had played the game. And after that Don was on the floor gasping for air. It was now approaching seven minutes and his definition of suffering was being revamped.

_Stay conscious_, was the prominent order in his mind. If he lost his senses he would die. However even the threat of death was lessening in its severity and wonderful sleep was looking like the only escape, no matter the cost.

Don could hardly keep his eye lids open and what his vision relaid to him was cloudy. He looked at the creature next to him. Humanoid, and weak, it was skinny had red color and big blue eyes. It looked over at Don, his face of fright and helplessness that reflected Don's. Don tried to think of anything to do but stare at him, but he was no longer in control of any part of his body.

Then the big blue eyes rolled into the back of the creatures head and his hands let go of the bars.

Without thinking Don let go of the bars with one hand and reached for the creature, however his hands could only brush the fingers of the humanoid as he floated out of grasp and then out of sight.

Don looked back and tried to focus on the gates and still keep hope that Mikey would still come running through those gate. But there was a strange lump in his throat, and even though Don didn't know the creature he felt as if he had lost a close friend.

While the fading image of the humanoid floating out of reach occupied Don's only thoughts, he slipped in blackness without notice.

* * *

><p>"Leo! Leo!" Raph wailed as he ran down the halls.<p>

He still had no clue why so many people were running in the opposite direction as he was, and grew really annoyed at the speed bumps they were becoming.

Once Raph reached the end of the hall, he growled in frustration. Something was really wrong, he could feel it, he could also feel that he didn't have much time to find the oldest before...

Then his eyes caught a glimpse of blue uniform, bingo. Raph snatched the arm of a nearby running servant and yanked him closer.

"Do you know where they take the fugitives?" Raph demanded.

"Didn't you get the memo kid? The ship's going down!" the servant cried.

Raph winced but his grip did not let up, "Fugitives!" he demanded again.

"I-I don't know, maybe the captain's quarters?" the servant whimpered.

Raph dropped his arm and shoved past him as he made his way to the lower deck.

He made it there in record time and threw himself onto the door jerking the knob. After frantically twisting it he relaized it was locked. Without a moment's hesitation he backed up and kicked down the door.

"Leo!" he cried at the sight of his brother slumped down against the pole.

He ran over to him and shuddered at the purplish, bloody head wound. He put two fingers on his throat and searched for a familiar pounding and sighed in relief when he found one.

"Leo, Leo" he said softly, shaking him ever so gently.

All of Don's lectures on concussions came into his mind and the worst case scenario was that his brother was in a coma.

Then Raph noticed to the handcuffs binding Leo to the pole and started to pull at them. He grunted with no luck and pulled put his sai and began cutting through them.

* * *

><p>More and more chaos ensued as Mikey took down more of the guards. He had gotten cleanly through three before others had noticed and started fighting against him.<p>

This didn't even slow him down as he easily took each pursuing guard.

"Freeze son." one said pointing a gun at him as he was about to deliver a blow to a man he had tackled to the floor.

Mikey jumped off his victim, then in one smooth motion hurled him up and threw him to the man with the gun knocking both to the floor. He ran over to where they laid and swiped both of their cards, adding to his dozens.

In the next second one guard tackled him to the floor and soon a mountain of others joined in, crushing him to the floor. Mikey squirmed and screamed as he tried to wiggle his way to freedom.

However elbows and knees stabbed into exposed skin and pure bulk slammed into his throat, denying him air. He was completely pinned at all parts and angles.

Mikey squinted his eyes shut and the image of Don's face resurfaced itself, giving him new inspiration. He buckled his knees and kicked off two massive bodies. Then he flipped himself over and escaped from everyone's grasp.

Without a second's hesitation he made a break for the halls, towards Don.

* * *

><p>For the second time that day Leo came too with an awful pounding headache, this time however it felt like he was being hit with a mallet time and time again.<p>

His stomach swirled and he felt like he was going to loose any contents that resided in there.

He weakly turned his head at a clicking noise from above to see Raph fiddling with the handcuffs. He smiled, best sight he had woken up to yet.

"Raph." he called weakly.

Raph dropped his sais and knelled besides Leo, "Leo you okay bro?" he asked softly.

"I'll live." he moaned.

Raph looked sympathetically at his brother, his voice hardly concealed the misery he was in.

"I'm gonna get you free in just a second." Raph said encouragingly, even though he hadn't he scratched the binds.

"You can't, only the Captain's key can unlock them." Leo sighed.

Raph looked a little discouraged but not nearly enough to give up, "Where'd he go? I'll..."

"He dropped them under the desk." Leo said, his voice was still shaky and weak.

Raph immediately dropped down to the desk and began reaching underneath when an erupting sound came from outside the quarters. Raph and Leo both froze and looked toward the opposite wall to see it being sucked into space exposing vast black emptiness and deadly pull into it.

* * *

><p>Mikey was immediately concerned when the pull opposing the wooden door into the lower cabins was keeping him from opening it.<p>

He jerked it open and gasped at the sight of the gates at the end of the hallway. A few minutes ago they were impenetrable, now they were being torn to shreds. But that was not what made his heart freeze and then jerk into a beating frenzy, it was the absence of passengers pounding against the gates in a desperate panic for escape. It was now only his brother, who was floating unconscious, Mikey prayed, but keeping his grip on the bars.

He ran over to Don and desperately fumbled with the cards. They were not all accessible, only made to open the last door they locked, and only one card of the hundreds he saw could do that.

Mikey gulped and prayed, to anything that would listen that he had the right one.

He refused to let himself give in to failure after the first couple of cards did nothing to open the gates. _I still have more, I still have more_, he kept telling himself as one failed after the other.

Then a sudden shaking of the entire ship threw him against the bars. The ship creaked and the Mikey lost his grip on the cards.

He looked out into space, eyes widened in fear and hopelessness as all the cards floated out of reach.

* * *

><p><strong>AUTHOR'S NOTE-<strong>My favorite cliff hanger so far! And don't think that just because it doesn't say tragedy in the genre that there are not going to be any turtle deaths... Or hey maybe everyone will live happily ever after, but its up to me, not you. I would like all of my hate mail, questions, and comments in a review form. THANK YOU!


	20. Chapter 19

**AUTHOR'S NOTE-** Hey everyone, remember me? The author who left you at the biggest cliff hanger of the story for to months... hehe well hi again! And I gotta say this time there is no real escuse as to why I didn't update, so I won't waste time with that. All I can do is say sorry and hope you can forgive, you now if there is anyone still reading this...

**DISCLAIMER- **If I owned Ninja Turtles the show wouldn't have gotten to its second episode.

* * *

><p>It was at that moment where Mikey was convinced that this was all some nightmare, some terrible, terrible nightmare from which he desperately wanted to wake up.<p>

He didn't even have a second after the cards were thrust from his grip to reach out after them. However quick his ninja fast reflexes were, the suction of the Black Hole was quicker. He extended his arm as far as the gates would permit and safely secured his fist over a single card. He was about to do the same to the others when he noticed them warp into the darkness.

Mikey bit his lip and retracted the card to the lock, and stared at it.

Was this really happening? If this card was not the one that had sealed the iron clad gates the Donatello would be lost, forever. He was scared, terrified, the idea of losing his brother was becoming less than a possibility but a fate.

_Please work please work,_ he begged blindly and swiped the card into the lock. He stared at it soundlessly without thought or breath as the system tried to identify the key sequence. Then it chimed opened and the gates swung open from the wall.

Donatello lost his grip and was thrown into the powerful force, but Mikey grabbed his wrist before he went out of reach. Mikey gripped his free hand around wall and felt his body being immediately strained from the pulsating force.

Mikey tightened his grip until his hands glowed red and screamed at the tension, it felt like his body was slowly being ripped in two. He screams lost their sound and became desperate grasps from his dying lungs. Mikey could hardly open his eyes and when he squinted it was as if they too would be sucked out.

Rational thoughts and plans to escape were fleeing from him as quickly as the air from his lungs leaving only the thoughts of the agonizing pain that surged throughout his body. There was only one thing he thought of now, if he didn't get out soon, he and Don would be lost forever.

Mikey turned his head towards the hallway door. The only escape from the dark death, was a few feet away. However with the suction force from behind them it was minus well miles. Anyway Mikey didn't even have the free hand to reach for it, and if he let go of the gate there wouldn't e a second's chance to grab it.

It was agonizing! The fact it was so stupidly close, but impossibly far. Mikey had squirmed out of death trials with escape far harder to achieve then this. He and his brothers had been evading death for years, making a mockery of it, and this was how it was going to finally get the upper hand. Death was finally going to claim him, and it was making a mockery of survival, by having their only hope an arm length away.

Mikey could feel his hand slipping, and a desperate thought penetrated through the clouded ones of pain. If he let go there was an unmistakeable result of being sucked into space quicker then a flash, however if he didn't he'd either suffocate, or loose his grip in moments to come. At least if he'd let go there was a chance of survival, it was extremely slight, but there was a chance.

Mikey loosened his grip and couldn't help but be glad Don was unconscious because there was no way in hell he'd ever let pass something so reckless.

Mikey only wished he could have a breath to make before he pulled himself and Don up, collecting as much momentum as he could and let go of the gate. In the span of a second, Mikey's arm whipped towards the door and grasped the knob just as he was being pulled into space. The suction this time nearly dislocated his arm, but there was no way he was going to let go now, not when he was so close.

With all the strength left in his exhausted body Mikey yanked the door opened and forced himself and Don through. As soon as their feet touched the floor once again Mikey swung around to shut the door and the black death away.

* * *

><p>The sight before Leo and Raph immediately stole their breath away, and a sudden fear for their lives pounded through their hearts.<p>

"What the..." Raph was about to ask, when the black hole completely devoured through the wall with a deafening crash.

Leo and Raph screamed as the sound rang through them like an electric shock. Raph fell to his knees and covered his head with his heads. Leo didn't get such a luxury and once again found himself fighting for consciousness.

Raph squinted one eye open and saw in horror all the furniture being yanked violently from the room. Even the pole of which his brother was trapped, the roof above it and floor below it were cracking, yielding to the black monster.

Raph dove towards the dresser and snatched the keys from underneath just as it too flew into space. In a horror realization Raph found his own body being to yield to the suction. He tried to stand up but it was as if all the force in the world was compelling him to his knees.

Deciding it better to direct his energy on a battle more worth the fight, Raph crawled toward Leo and struggled with the lock.

Leo however barely acknowledged this as he was sure now his head was bleeding. Raph jerked the key right and left but still couldn't open the lock. With a raging scream of frustration he hoisted himself up, grabbed the lock with deadly force and jammed the key in there with every thing he had.

The click of the lock was like a sweet blessing, and Raph yanked off the chains. Before Leo even realized he was free Raph grabbed his brother and fought his way back into the hall.

Once safe and out Raph released Leo and remained on the floor, gasping hard. Leo however was careful to take slow deep breathes to clear his head. Finally he could look up without feeling extremely light headed and glanced over to Raph, coughing desperately as his lungs tried to recover the air they had just lost.

Leo crawled over to him and helped him sit up.

"Easy now," he said calmly, "Breath like you're in meditation one slow breath at a time."

Raph squinted his eyes and calmed his body as his breath did just that.

Leo smiled and gently rubbed his shoulder, "You're so strong," he whispered, "There's no way I would have made it wasn't for you."

Raph scuffed, "You wouldn't have even been kidnapped if it wasn't for me," he said and smiled, "You were right, all Federalist are nothing but sore losers."

Leo helped him to his feet, "Come on," he said "We have to find Don and Mikey."

* * *

><p>Mikey slid to the floor and fought the darkness consuming him. As soon as his lungs were opened to fresh oxygen he took in a deep gasp of air, then sputtered it out in a cough as though he had forgotten how to breath. Now only the thoughts of getting in the next breath were in his mind, for as soon as he got in a deep breath he heaved it out of his system through coughs. It was a miserable pattern, like if he had just ran a marthon but couldn't catch his breath.<p>

The urge to just lie down and give in to darkness was tempting, but the fading thought of Don kept him awake. Finally he overcame to some control over his breathing and stopped coughing, only to hear the same suffering coming from next to him.

Don was unconsciously fighting for some breath, and his face was blue from the effort. Mikey forced his body up and inched towards him and wrapped his arms around his shoulders until Don's coughs finally died down and his body went limp.

Mikey starred at him worriedly and listened for staggered breathes when he heard something running down the hall.

"Mikey! Don!" Leo's voice rang from the corner.

Mikey almost cried in relief as he gasped "Here!"

Leo and Raph were kneeling by them in seconds, Raph squeezing Mikey's hands and Leo gently checking over Don.

"What the shell happened to this ship?" Raph asked when the relief of reunion died down.

"A big black suctioney thingy of death is trying to eat it!" Mikey cired.

"Its a Black Hole," Leo corrected, "And its taking down the ship so we have got to get out of here."

"How? They don't have enough escape pods for everyone and its not like we reserved one when they were plentiful." Mikey said.

Leo clenched his fist and swooped up Don.

"They can't be completely out yet," he said, "And if we hurry we might still get one of the last remaining ones."

Raph nodded in agreement and the two of them ran off to the launching deck while Mikey lingered for a moment.

"Might?" he gulped, and ran after his brothers.

* * *

><p><strong>AUTHOR'S NOTE-<strong> From the bottom of my heart, if there is anyone still reading this thank you, you have given more commitment to this story then I have. I know how hard it is to stay into a story with long updating intervals, and I sincerely appreciate your effort. And even though I don't deserve it, how about a review to show me you're still reading this?


	21. Chapter 20

**AUTHOR'S NOTE-** Okay long time no see, blah blah hope you can forgive yadee yaddee, hope this chapter makes up for all.

**DISCLAIMER- **I own no turtles of any kind.

* * *

><p>Leo managed a quick, swift run even though his brother was completely hanging from him. What Leo couldn't manage was the knowledge of where he was going. He was at the complete mercy of what lay on the other side of whatever wall passed. So far it had been another short hall with another sharp corner and whenever he came upon this he became more and more nervous.<p>

To make matters worse Mikey and Raph were racing behind him, convinced he knew what he was doing and that he would deliver them all to safety.

So this is not time to doubt what your doing, he thought to himself as he turned another corner and came across another empty hall. But this one was different. Leo tried to skid to a halt but his relentless speed prevented him from doing so and he tumbled all over himself and fell to the floor.

Just before were fiery explosions of combustion and smoke so thick they made a wall blocking the continuing halls. They were destructive and unconstrained and Leo barely managed to keep from sliding right into them. He was stopped mere feet away from the fire and could feel his skin already burning form the immense heat.

It was no ordinary fire, the destruction of the inner systems of the ships had released the poisonous gases form the fuel cells, and the destruction of those lit a gas fire throughout the west side of the ship. Like an animal the combustion ate through the weak remaining structures of the Titan and were expanding from it.

Leo scrambled up to his feet and resisted breathing the toxic fums. He scooped up Donatello once more over his shoulders when Mikey and Raph rounded the corner behind him.

"Other way!" Leo screamed viciously.

Mikey's and Raph's eyes widened in horror as they twisted their bodies and sped off to where they just came.

Since Mikey was last before he found himself leading now, but like Leo had no clue where to go. Wherever there was a place where they wouldn't die sounded good to him.

However the smoke on right ahead of him told him that there was no such a place on the ship. He skidded to a halt and gave a desperate look to his brothers closely behind him.

On both sides of them combustion was consuming the oaths of escape of the ship, it was eating up their oxygen even faster then it was growing. If they stayed there any longer it would be a race between suffocation and burning alive to see what could kill them first.

Leo scoped his perimeters until he found a ventilation shaft near the floor. He dropped down to it and began unscrewing the screw that stubbornly held it in place.

Raph and Mikey cornered next to him as the combustion began overcoming them. Soon they were taken over by the gases and fell to the floor coughing. Leo found some breath to hold and finally broke the resistance of the screws and yanked the bars open.

There was barley enough space for them to crawl through it one at a time. He stuffed Don's body in the small dark pathway and yanked Raph and Mikey to the floor to do the same.

Once they relaized their new objective Raph grabbed Don best he could and speedily crawled threw the vents, quickly followed by Mikey and finally Leo.

* * *

><p>Once they had crawled a safe distance away from the main halls Raph stopped and looked back. He could wouldn't have been able to see the others had it not been for a dim light ahead of them<p>

"What now?" he asked, knowing this was definably not the direction to the launching stations.

"Keep going, don't stop." Leo demanded.

Raph did as told best and deciding heading toward the light was their best option. After a few minutes they finally came close enough to identify it as an opening. However the light emitting from it was not that of day, or even the lights from the ship, but bright and blinding revealing itself in flashes.

The opening was completely uncovered and Raph bravely settled down Don to go check it out.

The sight before him was sickening, and it took all of his aggressive instinct to stiffen and not show fear. The opening was many feet, Raph guessed, above ground. They were in a cylinder shaped room stretching hundreds of feet above and below their central point. Below them there was a sea of fire and combustion with black smoke giving it a cover as black as the night sky. The only light was that of the explosions it tried to conceal.

Raph stumbled backwards and looked almost helplessly to Leo and Mikey, "We're trapped." he whispered.

Leo shoved past him to take a look for himself and them looked back towards his brothers. Mikey swore he could see a very foreign sense of fear in his eyes which made his heart jump into his mouth and a lump clogged his throat.

"So whats the plan Leo?" he barely manged to whimper out in a shaky voice.

Leo's lost expression became even more terrifying when he said," Wake up Don."

Mikey gulped, in other words he didn't know.

Since he was the closest Mikey tried to shake Don awake, but that didn't work since he was shaking so much himself he couldn't form a good grip. Impatiently Raph aggressively shoved Mikey out of the way, gripped Don's shoulders and yanked him side to side.

"Come on sleeping beauty! Wake up! We need your big brain here!" he yelled but Don remained motionless.

Mikey separated them before Raph made the situation worse. Leo frowned and gripped his katana, realizing they were desperate and out of time.

"Sorry Don," he mumbled as he swiped the blade across his brother's arm making a nice clean cut.

Don immediately yelped and woke up clutching his arm.

Before Leo could approach him Mikey yelled, "Don we have a situation here and we need your help!"

Don could barely make out his words, or figure for that matter. His body was in swelling pain, and h had never encountered a worse headache. Mikey had minus well hit him with a mace instead of shouting. All he could identify was blinking lights and pain in his arm.

Leo's firm grip on his shoulders helped come back into somewhat of a reality.

"Don I need you here with us, we need you focused." he said in a balanced voice of urgency but gentleness.

Don weakly shook out of his grip and took a sweeping look of his surroundings, "What happened?" he muttered.

"We're trapped like rats here!" Raph exclaimed, "On one side of us there's a fiery death, and on the other side there an even bigger fiery death!"

Disbelieving Don crawled towards the opening and found out Raph's description was a mere understatement to what was at hand. He looked up and down and then back to the others.

"So I take it there's no going back the other way?" he asked.

His brothers simultaneously shook their heads in a definite no.

Don looked back down and studied the outside chamber.

"This must be the fuel generator chamber, fresh oxygen comes through this shaft to balance out the toxic fumes to keep that," he pointed to the sea of fire below, "From happening"

"And?" Mikey urged.

"And just bringing oxygen in here isn't enough, they also must have to release the fumes in order to keep them from over heating the entire system." He once again pointed below, "So there must be a ventilation system that goes out as well, and it must be near the fuel generators."

"Where are you going with this Don?" Leo asked.

"The ventilation system will eventually lead the fumes out of the ship into space, as it will all the carbon dioxide on this ship, so the two systems will meet some where right before the exit and all be pushed out together. That meeting place will be near the exit of the ship passengers get out as well."

"So in other words the launching rooms." Leo continued.

"Exactly, so in order to get to that ventilation system we're going to have to jump and..."

"I'm sorry did you say jump, down there?" Mikey interrupted.

Don nodded.

"Dude I think you need more air to get in that big brain of yours. There's no way we can just jump down there."

"Its the only possible way out of here Mikey." Don said.

Mikey's jaw dropped and he protested, "But..."

"Are you sure Don?" Leo asked.

"Well," Don sheepishly put his arms behind his head, "I'm not really familiar with these new models, and their always upgrading to ensure better efficiency and.."

"Answer the question!" Raph yelled.

Don bit his lip and shook his head.

Raph and Mikey gave one another uneasy glances.

"But guys its a chance, and we usually have some luck with these unlikely chances." Don said trying to reassure them.

Fear only deepened in Mikey and Raph's expressions so Don looked to Leo. "Leo?" he asked holding out his hand.

Leo gave an uneasy look down to the pit of black smoke and fire that would probably burn them alive before they even reached the ground. It was like jumping into a volcano, but at least then you would know how far the ground is.

Nevertheless Leo tightly held Don's hand and asked, "Where do we jump?"

Don gave him a small smile and pointed to an area on the opposite side if them that wasn't so condensed with smoke. "See that area over there? It probably has less smoke because the vent's right next to it."

Leo squinted and tried to envision it. Even if Don was right, it was a very far jump, one of the farthest he'd ever been faced with in his life of being a ninja. There was a good chance they could miss it.

Leo blocked these thoughts from his head, there was always a great possibility of death right behind them, and it never stopped them before.

"Once we get down there I'll signal you with my katana then its your turn." he told Mikey and Raph.

"And of you don't!" Mikey cried.

Leo didn't answer. He turned around and prepared for the jump. Don was squeezing his hand so hard it was nearly blue. Even though they had a plan it still felt as if they were jumping straight into hell.

Leo gave him a reassuring nod and together edged near the corner and took the jump. The flew into the air for a brief moment and disappeared into the smoke.

Mikey and Raph held their breathes as they desperately searched into the darkness for some kind of sign, anything. For a few terrorizing moments they stared down into the blackness like hawks searching for the slightest thing out of place.

"There!" Raph shouted "I saw a flash lets go!"

"How can you be so sure that was Leo?" Mikey cried, "It could have been a flash from an explosion!"

"You're just gonna have to trust me on this one Mikey." he said inched toward the edge and prepared to jump.

Mikey's whole body was shaking now and his stomach was twisting every which way. If anything had been in it, it was surely gone now.

Once Mikey joined Raph, Raph turned to him, "Ready?" he asked.

Mikey shook his head, now on the verge of tears.

Raph apparently didn't care or notice when he screamed, "Go!"

The whole world suddenly plunged into slow motion as Raph flung himself into the air and fell down into the smoke. However every single working cell in Mikey's body prevented him from doing so too and he gripped the edges of the vent hard to keep the moment from pushing him straight out of the shaft.

He regained ground in the vents and desperately looked below him, his brothers had committed suicide he knew it and all jumping to the other side would do was give him a burning death as well.

He no longer had control of himself and tears spilled out of him, tears of shame, fear and helplessness. He wasn't ready to die. That morning so long ago when he was late for training, wasn't supposed to be his last on Earth. That couldn't have been the last time he's ever see his father, or April.

He looked behind him and could already smell the deadly smoke approaching. Don was right this was the only way out. He knew the vents would collapse in minutes, but somehow jumping into the unknown below seemed a lot scarier.

And for a moment it seemed that was his biggest fear in his life,the unknown, but then he looked around and relaized it wasn't. His brothers were gone and he was all by himself, and he was reminded at once that was his biggest fear. Being alone. Suddenly the dark pit of smoke below seemed like an escape, and it wasn't unknown because his brothers were down there. Alive or dead it didn't matter. Mikey inched his way to the edge, and took a deep breath.

A new thought over took all the others, the memory of that now precious morning of him taking the risk in that repulsive pipe. Where he had nothing to lose but everything to gain. _This is just like that,_ he tried to tell himself and then leaped off the edge.

* * *

><p>Not even seconds after he had jumped Mikey knew that he didn't have nearly enough momentum to make it to the other side. The light before him only lasted a second before he was plunged into darkness and heat. He tried everything he could to control the fall and make it to the other side but could only inch himself so far.<p>

The heat surrounding him suddenly emphasized and then his skin caught a flame. At first it was just his feet, but then the fire lightened his entire body, and soon the whole world was consumed in flames. He screeched desperately, his lungs depleted but still felt it necessary to let the world know what pain the rest of his body was in. His skin was boiling and then melting off him exposing immense heat to pink areas that had never seen light before.

Before Mikey lost consciousness and life to the darkness something caught him and raised him up into a place with a ground. He tried to remain awake and alive but that was nearly impossible with numerous hard blows beating his body mercilessly.

His screams of pain formatted into a signal cry, "Stop!"and for a moment they did until a tight hand grip his arm and savagely dragged him into more heat and more pain.

For the next few minutes nothing made sense. He couldn't see, breathe, or hear anything besides frantic shuffling through the metal shafts.

The only thing keeping him conscious, well at least he thought, was the harsh command, "Stay awake Mikey, Stay awake!"

And then they were falling and the hit knocked the air out of his entire body. This time Mikey hardly issued a fight over the coming darkness and was ready for a peaceful nap when relentless shaking started moving him again. It was just hard enough to keep him from losing it but giving him pain as well. Fury, a new kind of energy finally gave him a grip as he snatched whatever was shaking him and gave it a glare.

Raph. His whole body finally recognized his brother's relived face, surrounded by his brothers as well. One thought came over him, they made it.

* * *

><p>The launching deck was in a complete chaos. If workers were overwhelmed before, they were nearly helpless now. Most had been beaten to death by masses of desperate lives, and only the strongest remained, becoming weaker by the second. Chaos was over powering order, and with the death of order all chances of escape faded as well.<p>

Leo, Don and Raph were too preoccupied to notice however, having their full attention on Mikey. It was scary enough that Mikey didn't come down with Raph, but he was basically a burning fire ball himself when his finally did jump. Leo nearly had to throw himself completely out of the shaft to save him.

Don and Raph worked relentlessly to keep him awake now, "Come on Mikey, you can't leave us now, we're almost out we just need you here." Don coaxed.

However Mikey was weak and barely able to sit up, his body was still shaking and it was easy to see he was no where near his right mind.

Leo's whole heart and sympathies had gone to the youngest when a terrifying announcement echoed across the ship.

"Last escape pod now boarding, last escape pod now boarding."

Leo had just climbed onto his feet when he saw their last chance of survival flying out of sight. All air left him and he stood there silently speechless.

However not a second was wasted in Don's mind. "The trash!" he cried.

Leo and Raph shot him a confused look.

"They've got to rid of their trash somehow and not everything can be burned, the trash room should be close by and they should have a ship that transports it away." he explained.

Leo's features lightened up, "Okay lets hurry and.."

He then heard a rumbling below and saw a stamped pf the unlucky people trampling towards them, as if they all heard Don's plan.

"Run!" he screamed.

The three took off and luckily managed a few feet of a head start. Mikey picked himself up and attempted to run forward but was soon overcome by the crowd and pushed the rest of the way.

It wasn't until after Leo, Don and Raph had found and boarded the ship that they realized Mikey was no longer with them. They looked back desperately to search for Mikey but all they saw was the crowds of people lunging for them.

Mikey pulled himself out of the crowd and looked ahead helplessly, _they'll destroy them._ He thought then noticed the launching button right next to him.

Maybe it was out of love, maybe fear, or maybe because his brain had not completely started functioning again. Whatever the reason Mikey punched the button, causing the door of the trash pod to close before anyone else could get to it and launch into outer space.

Leo, Raph and Don barely had time to scream before they were pushed to the side of the ship. They desperately looked out the window to see their little brother's figure getting smaller and smaller and they flew further and further into the distance.

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><p><strong>AUTHOR'S NOTE- <strong>Worth the wait, or waste or time, you tell me but it took three hours to write so consider that when you REVIEW!


	22. Chapter 21

**AUTHOR'S NOTE- **Well hey look at that its another update! And no the computers not glitching I really updated the next chapter the next day! Isn;t free time great? If only I had some. But enough of my bragging and by all means enjoys...

**DISCLAIMER- **I do not own the turtles that were mutated and are also teenagers that have trained to be ninjas.

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><p>As they all witnessed the same sight, they all shared the same thought, <em>We are all going to die.<em>

It was a moment of unity for the strangers once at murderous means to get to an escape, but that was over, done. The past didn't matter anymore. For many watching the trash pod fly out of sight was watching their final hope fade away. Reality stuck hard and deep. Some cried, others yelled, but it didn't make a difference. They would all meet the same outcome in a short period of time.

It was sickening for Mikey to watch all his fellow passengers cry around them. The ones who had faith were praying hard to a God they soon would meet, and the others, those were the ones in mad hysteria.

Mikey however was not on one side or the other, he at least for the moment, didn't care what would happen to himself in the next couple of minutes. He cared about the last three survivors traveling at light speed to an unknown place.

It had all happened so fast. Ever since the jump off the edge his head had been foggy and he hadn't managed a clear thought since. It had all happened in minutes, minutes. One minute he and his brothers were crawling for dear life through the vents, the next jumping off to an almost certain death, and then finally he had launched them off into space, separating them forever.

Forever, it was then when Mikey realized what he had done, he had sacrificed himself for his brothers without even giving them a say. He would never see them again and he didn't even have a chance to say good bye. They probably hated him for being so reckless. He would die and his brothers would hate him forever.

Mikey was softly pushed around as the hopeless fragments of souls dragged themselves around him. They hated him too. He had just thrown away their last chance at life. He killed thousands, for the chance of three.

However no one desired revenge. No one loathed him enough to attack, insult or even glare at him. They all just past by him soundlessly and somehow it was much much worse. For they knew that it didn't matter what they did to Mikey it wouldn't change a thing. There was no change at this point. They would all meet their fates at the mercy of the Black Hole.

Mikey stared out to space, plagued by guilt but not regret, not by a long shot. He had saved his brothers from certain and he knew that there had been no other way to do it.

With a final whisper of good bye he turned around to join the others to met his death.

* * *

><p>"Turn this pod around, now!" Raph demanded.<p>

It had hardly passed seconds after the pod was launched that the three were thinking the same thing and on the same task. And even as Raph yelled at him, Don was one step ahead of him.

"This one should have the same basic structure as the escape pods," he mumbled to himself, "There must be someway to regain control..."

The pod was about the size of a dog house and filled halfway with metals, glass and even waste from beings whose droppings weren't flammable. To get any movement they had to navigate through these items and found themselves getting cuts and bruises no matter which way thy moved. And the mobility was very limited. It could barely fit all of them and gave each less then a foot to crawl at once. They were also forced to kneel down to avoid a mad collusion with the roof of the pod.

But none of that mattered. In such a situation the pod was minus well a luxury cruise. As long as it was working and in tact any passenger, even the most wealthy on the Titan would have killed for it.

What could have been a relieving escape for any of the other passengers however was a death trap for the turtles. There was no way anyone of them would allow the fading image of their little brother be the last time they ever saw him.

Don ripped apart a layer of the delicate sides of the pod and came across a bunch of wires. He smiled triumphantly to himself and began messing with them, trying to find the return home sequences.

After a few minutes of invasive meddling the lights started to flicker on and off and a low siren echoed across the small pod.

"Bingo!" Don cheered as the pod stopped briefly then began tuning around and heading back to the broken Titan.

* * *

><p>A good fraction of those remaining were those who had served on the ship. They still remained either because of extreme loyalty to their jobs, or because of their worthlessness to the their superiors.<p>

They guided the remaining passengers to the dinning corridor of the ship, the place that would remain the strongest and had the most endurance against the strains. However if anything the most staying in the room would get the passengers was a few more minutes of life, a breathe or two more of oxygen. But it was something and right know the passengers' last hope.

"This way, step along one by one!" a man in a tattered federation suit guided the passengers.

Mikey dragged himself along into the once beautiful corridor when he saw a familiar young face in the corner.

"Hey you're the man from the post office!" he cried as he rushed over to him.

The young man looked towards him and amazingly still kept up that smile he had when he had first mailed Mikey's postcard.

"Why hello there sir! You would be pleased to know that I have successfully sent your card to Earth and it should be reaching there any day now."

Mikey gave him a sad smile, it was truly astonishing after a few minutes talking to him you would believe nothing was wrong. Despite the dire circumstances upon them he still managed to keep up the live beat customer service that charmed all he customers.

"Kinda wished you hadn't." Mikey sighed' "I wrote my father that me and my brothers were all okay and coming home but now..." Mikey couldn't finish, the true reality of it all was to hard to bare and at the very least he didn't want to ruin this guy's happy mood.

The man softened his face, "Well at least he knows you're thinking of him, come with me." he said.

Mikey followed him to the very back of the room where elegant wooden stairs reached up to the sky deck. He grabbed the spiral railing and gestured for Mikey to do the same.

"Hold on to this so you stay with the ship no matter what." he said.

It was a naive idea, staying with the ship instead of individually being sucked out into space did not by any means make an escape from death, but it was better then just standing there waiting for the inevitable. Besides just doing nothing was against Mikey's well trained instincts.

He gripped the railing with all the strength in his hands and gave the postman a cocky smile.

"First thing they taught you in ships devoured by Black holes 101?" he joked.

The man almost laughed, "No but I saw some other guys doing it and figured it was worth a try." he said cheerfully.

Mikey's smile turned into a frown and asked, "Why didn't you board one of the escape pods."

The man's face dimmed down a little bit, "In case of emergency it is our number one priority to make sure all the passengers are safe first, and then the workers."

Mikey grimaced, that rule must not have applied to all of them because he could sharply remember some federation suits pushing passengers out of the way to get onto the escape pods. He didn't comment though and let the man's bravery speak for itself.

From the look on his face Mikey could tell the postman wanted to return the question but thought better of it. For that Mikey was grateful, he didn't even want to think of his brothers at the moment.

They remained in silence over the course of the next few minutes. There wasn't much use for talking since it would require great effort to scream over the massive of cries for help. Besides there was really nothing important for either of them to say, but it was a comfort for both to have a friend standing beside them for the remaining time.

In no more then five minutes the black hole had devoured all of the weak points of the ship. The rooms were demolished, the boarding dock, the upper deck and the fuel generators had gone along with it. The workers were right in their prediction that the dinning corridor would be one of the last to go. However every time the remaining passengers heard a crash they knew it was one step closer to their demise as well.

Soon enough the lights of the entire corridor flickered once, then went out forever. There was an array of screams in the air and it became pitch black. Mikey could no longer even see the railing in front of him and had to rely on his other senses to give him a picture of what was going out.

He cried out for the postman and was answered by a response right next to him.

"Whats going on?" he shouted.

"The electricity went out!" the postman answered, "Black hole finally must of gotten to it."

"How much time do we have then?" Mikey screamed, but received not from the man but a deafening sound around him of screeching walls giving way to the suction of space.

Hollers came from what Mikey guessed were those who didn't grab onto anything being sucked into space. He felt the familiar pull himself and tightened his grip on the railing, _Stay with the ship_, he ordered himself.

However holding on for dear life soon became his second priority when all the oxygen was immediately striped from his lungs and he tried desperately not to choke.

It was then Mikey took it all in, the screams around him, death itself pulling him towards it, the complete depletion of his lungs, a strain on his body that wasn't foreign but still agonizing. Thoughts of his brothers were now welcoming as the rest of his brain began to shut down. There safety had never held such an importance in him and the thoughts that they were out of the ship and away from harm still gave him a feeling of joy.

He thought again about what his biggest fear was. He decided being apart from his brothers wasn't it as long as they were safe and well. That question was when he lost himself to the everlasting darkness.

* * *

><p>"Make sure to steer Don make sure to steer!" Leo screamed as they rocked towards the remains of the Titan.<p>

"Leo I told you I have no control!" Don cried back.

"We're gonna crash!" Raph yelled looking in horror at the metal wall in front of them.

"Everybody lean left!" Don screamed and threw his body on the left wall of the pod.

His brothers mimicked his actions and managed to angle the ship's flight pattern slightly left. The opening from which they had left was a mere few feet left from where they were charging and the extra bump kicked right on a collusion course with the very edge of the dooway.

"Again!" Don shouted.

They did it again and the ship scraped across the surrounding exterior and skidded across the floor to finally crash in the exit.

Dizzily the turtles one by one fell out of the pod and tried to regain footing.

"Now to find Mikey." Leo directed and the others nodded as they ran through the halls.

* * *

><p>The only thing he had left from the real world was his hearing and touch. In a matter of seconds the sounds of screaming lives faded to the darkness and there was a silence unlike he'd ever heard before.<p>

Sure it had been quiet but there was always something that kept it from being complete. Like the hum of an air conditioner, or the sound of the wind. There was none of that here, all Mikey could hear was the sound of his heart being slower and slower each moment.

He tried to cry out for the postman but he had lost all means of air to do so. In fact the only other working part in his body was his hands still stubbornly gripping the railing.

_They must of gone numb_ Mikey thought to himself because holding on usually brought him a lot of pain.

He really couldn't help but think it was like being underwater. The quiet and lack of any feeling in the body. A memory of a long time ago resurfaced in his mind.

He had decided to go swimming one afternoon when he was a young kid, no older then six. They had all just finished a long hot day of training and a swim in the pool was a relief to his flooded sweat glands and swollen muscles. The first time he had gone under it was the most relieving feeling in the world. It washed away all of his pain and gave him a welcomed feeling of lightness.

He had tried to stay under as long as he could but eventually had to resurface to breathe. However once he tried to resurface something snagged his foot and kept him imprisoned under. He fought to break free but he was tightly trapped by wires hidden in the darkness.

Since he was young his lungs had hardly any holding capacity and he lost all his breath quickly. Even more quickly a feeling of lightheaded swept over him and caused him to lose all his fight and sink to the bottom.

Just like now, Mikey found himself slowly releasing the bars and starting to float away.

However just like when he was younger strong, invincible arms plunged in and grabbed him. With more strength then he could imagine they retracted him from a hopeless blackness and into the light. Into a light so bright he had to cover his fragile eyes from it to keep them from burning out. Then the sudden regain of oxygen put him on his hands and knees coughing like crazy. He managed to look up to once again see the relieved faces of Don, Raph and Leo.

* * *

><p>"What are you guys doing here?" Mikey sputtered out between coughs.<p>

Before anyone could answer Mikey threw his arms around the three of them and cried, "What the shell? You guys are suppose to be speeding out of here at warp speed!"

Leo smiled and tightly returned the embrace, "Mikey we would never leave you."

Raph and Don joined in as well, "Yea Mikey its all of us or none of us." Don said.

Raph pulled out slightly to give Mikey a soft slap on the head, "And if ou ever try something like that again we'll beat the shell out of you, you understand?"

Mikey laughed, "You guys are idiots, now all of us are gonna die!" but there was no sigh of dread in his voice.

Leo firmly put his hand on his shoulder, "No this isn't going to be the end of us, we will all find a way together." he said in a voice so determined that it was almost a decree.

They would all survive.

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><p><strong>AUTHOR'S NOTE-<strong> Or will they? Keep reading on cause you aint getting no hints from me. But you will get a thank you if you review. And the next caper will be up asap, now whether that's tomorrow or next month I don't know but it will come so keep your eyes out.


	23. Chapter 22

**AUTHOR'S NOTE- **Hey again guys! Another update in a week span of time! Okay nothing to big to brag about, but I'm pretty happy. And I'll tell you now that this story is coming to an end. Once again this has been a blast to write, and even though its been a really long story I stuck through it and so did you so we should be proud! By the way today is a very special day, not only because its St. Patrick's Day! (Lucky for me I'm Irish) but also 13 years ago today the first fanfic for this archive was published (okay don't hold me to that but on the site its the oldest one they show) So happy Anniversy TMNT! And please enjoy reading the collaboration of words below the line.

**DISCLAIMER-** Okay I'm random, but I don't have nearly the jumbled up mind to come up with four kick ass teenage mutant ninja turtles!

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><p>Don frowned, upon his further inspection there was little chance that their little trash pod was going to fly far enough to escape the black hole, or even start up for that matter.<p>

The wing on one side was half demolished and the other one was hanging off. The engines had blown up into a small fire that quickly died because of the lack of oxygen and the roof looked like a single bump on the side would cave it in.

"So Don, how do we look?" Leo asked wearily, he was pretty nervous at Don's uncharacteristic silence in the urgent situation.

Don massaged his chin and slightly tilted his head, "With some crude repairs I'd say about 20 feet." he said.

"What do you mean 20 feet?" Mikey asked just as nervous as the elder.

"20 feet is the furthest this thing can fly under the best circumstances." Don explained.

"20 feet! We can't escape the black hole in 20 feet!" Mikey yelled, then flashed Don an uncertain look, "Can we?"

"No but we're not going to escape it Mikey." he said.

"Come again?" Raph asked.

"I said we aren't going to fly away from the black hole, we can't anyway."

"Why not?" Mikey could swear he was sweating even though he wasn't sure that was possible in space, "You've fixed up things in worse shape before haven't you? Come on Don you can do it you can do anything!" he exclaimed.

"No one or nothing can escape a black hole Mikey, even if we were traveling at the speed of light in a perfectly working ship we still wouldn't be able to outrun it. To put it simply the suction a black hole is so powerful it can rip apart galaxies in seconds, it can eat away at time and space and nothing not even light can escape it. In fact the only reason we haven' already be sucked in is because its billions of miles away! It must have pulled itself to the center of the galaxy in order to consume it from the middle." Don explained.

Mikey gave him a confused look, "Can you put it simpler?" he asked.

Leo stepped forward, "So I take it you have a different plan then, right Don?" he asked.

Don gave him a sheepish grin, "Well I do but you're not going to like it."

"Spit it out genius we don't have a lot of time!" Raph snapped.

"We're going to have to fly straight into the black hole." Don said.

"What!" Leo, Raph and Mikey cried in unison.

"But but the idea is to get away from that thing not fly right into it!" Mikey cried.

"He's right Don if we do that we might be crushed or worse." Leo said.

"But Leo that's just it! Nobody knows what happens when you get sucked into a black hole because nobody's ever done it before, and there are a number of theories of what would happen."

"Let me guess, most of them end up in death huh?" Raph asked.

"Well a number of them in some way or another," Don said rubbing the back of his head, "But those are just theories, there are other theories that say that black holes are kind of like worm holes and if you enter it you could get sucked into another dimension, or even others say their teleportation portals of outer space!"

"But Don can we make sure any of those theories are right?" Leo asked.

Don smiled, "Can we make sure any of them are wrong, " he looked towards the outside, "There's only one way to find out."

Raph grimaced, "Don't tell me you're excited about this."

"Not excited, but defiantly curious, if we do this then it will be a scientific breakthrough!" he said.

Leo put a firm hand on his shoulder, "This isn't the time for experimenting Don, this is life or death here." he said, voice firm and serious.

"I know," Don matched his tone, "And trust me I would not suggest this had there been any better choices."

"Well then Don," Raph said, picking up a piece from the engines, "lets get moving then, we don't have much time till the black hole eats us before we can ram it."

* * *

><p>If it were under normal circumstances the rate of which Raph and Don had finished making the crude repairs to the ship would have been incredible. But with time so limited it seemed agonizingly slow and almost as if they had taken their time to perfect the machine rather then merely patch it up.<p>

At any rate as soon as Don screwed in the final bolt the wall behind them ripped open and Don barely had time to grip a piece of the ship before his body was yanked to space.

Luckily Leo, Raph and Mikey had since climbed into the ship and while Raph worked frantically to turn on the engines Leo reached out to grab Don.

Just as Leo's fingers brisked across Don's Raph's voice cried out, "Donnie it won't start!"

Son retracted his arm and opened the engines again.

"Don!" Leo cried.

"I have to convert all excess power to the engines!" Don cried back and worked frivolously.

Mikey dared a look behind them. The black hole had sucked away all that was left of the dinning corridor and was eating away at the last few walls like a fire would burn through paper.

"Hurry up Donnie!" he regrettably shrieked in a high pitched, slightly cracking voice.

Don pulled apart some wires and reconfigured them to allow all the power lines to the lights of the ship to go into fueling it.

"There." he said once he plugged in the last one and secured the engines shut.

Without wasting a second Leo lunged forward, snatched Don's wrist, hurled him into the pod and slammed the door shut. "Go!" he screamed to Raph.

Raph powered the engine and the pod was immediately lunged forward into space.

"Like before, lean to the side to turn it around!" Don cried as the others did as told.

The pod swirled around until it was directly facing the black hole. Then the combination of the powered rocket and the suction of the black hole made the rocket into instantly.

"Hold on to each other and never let go!" Leo ordered as he grabbed Don and Mikey by the wrists.

Raph held onto Mikey's other arm and Don got a good grip on a hinge in toward the front of the ship. The four of them braced themselves as the pod entered the black hole.

* * *

><p>Mikey once again found that the world had gone into slow motion. He squeezed Leo's and Raph's hands with all the strength in his body and looked onward to see the few stars of the sky vanish into blackness. What happened next was kind of like being on a roller coaster, blindly the ship whirled left then sharply took a right and then was soon spinning around rapidly in circles. One second their weight was light as a feather and they were floating, the next they hit the floor hard as rocks.<p>

Mikey squeezed his eyes shut and prayed for everything to be over. His body was being jolted in every way repeatedly, up, down, left, right. At one moment they seemed to be traveling at light speed, the next to be at a dead stop.

Then something really frightening happened. He could feel each and every one of his molecules leaving him and then separating themselves in space. This was only for an instant before they all jammed back in place leaving Mikey with an uncontrollable urge to vomit.

Throughout everything however Mikey never let go of either of his brothers' hands. And that was the one thing that kept him stable.

Eventually everything slowed down and the pod resumed a steady run forward. The spinning stopped and reality seemed to step back in its place. But Mikey refused to open his eyes.

For one, he was scared he no longer had any and for another he did not want to see what had happened to them when it all ended. Curiosity inevitable got the better of him in the end and he snuck a peak.

It was mostly dark but there was a dim light omitting from the stars and some flickering ones that had been from the Titan that were scattered all over the place. Mikey looked around to see luckily his brothers all in one piece, and the pod not so luckily in pieces.

Surrounding them was the torn apart ruins of the Titan. Passengers long dead from suffocation silently floated in the gravity-less space. Thousand of their bodies littered their surroundings for miles. It was then when Mikey realized he couldn't breath.

* * *

><p>"Find oxygen tubes." Don could barely make his voice audible with the lack of air, but his message was understood and the turtles scattered to desperately look for disregarded emergency oxygen tubes.<p>

Leo found one first and handed it to Don to take a breath. Don savored it with his gasping lungs, but made himself give it to Raph, who shoved it to Mikey. Mikey gave him a look of thanks and was never so happy to breath a breathe of air. He had to ignore the cries of every cell in his body to give it back to Raph, who then as well took a breath and finally handed it back to Leo.

"Find more." Leo ordered once he had taken his breath and handed it to Don to keep.

In a matter of time Don managed to find another tube as well as Raph. Mikey however could not find one. And after what felt like hours of searching through every piece of trash in the pod in was clear there was only three oxygen tubes to be found.

Even though their pod had suffered immense damages in the black hole, the entire roof was ripped off as well as both the wings, it was still structurally sound enough to give little protection from the gravitational pull that was already leading the other scraps out of sight.

Don was again found his way over to the hinge and attached his belt to it along with his waist.

"This way when the rescue ships come they can find us by looking in the pod rather then out there among the others." he explained.

No one bothered to point out that the chance of rescue was slim, even Don himself knew there was little chance to be found out here but it gave them a false wave of hope and something to live for.

The turtles rejoined hands as they were previously, "Use your meditation breath exercises to save you air," Leo ordered, "We don't know how much time we have before rescue comes and the air we have now is limited. Make sure to make it last as long as possible."

Then he removed the tube and handed it to Mikey. Mikey gave him a shocked look and hesitated. Leo glared at him and his eyes read, _you don't have a choice._

Reluctantly Mikey grabbed the oxygen tube from Leo and stuck it in his own mouth, "Are you sure?" he asked quietly.

Leo nodded and turned his head to fall into his meditation state.

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><p><strong>AUTHOR'S NOTE-<strong> We're wrapping up here. Two more chapters to go, so please continue what you have so kindly been doing and review!


	24. Chapter 23

**AUTHOR'S NOTE- **Well hello there people who I haven't seen since March. I know I know its been way to long since the last update, but I have an excuse other then laziness this time, you see I have been waiting four years to right this story, and this chapter in particular I have written time and time again. (That makes no sense unless you are a writer) And I was under a lot of pressure to make it come perfectly out of my mind and into words. However since I have taken such a long break from this it was hard, and I had to write this three times. But hey I hope you like it, and I hope I satisfy myself too.

**DISCLAIMER-** If you still think I may have any ownership of the turtles then you're stupid.

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><p>Focus, relax and focus.<p>

The words echoed through Mikey's mind as he tried to remember the lessons Splinter had given them on meditation.

Empty your mind, free yourself from all distractions, all attachments to the physical world.

Problem was that there were no attachments here. In this place, the physical world seemed more like the meditative mind rather then reality. In fact most of the time Mikey couldn't decide whether he was meditating or not.

Of the few times he had achieved a meditative state, he wasn't dreamy or completely focused. He had just took a deep breathe and entered himself into a trance where he sat on a cloud, above from all the world's problems and away from anything real. That's the trick of true meditation. To not focus on what you are escaping from, but rather what you are escaping to. This is a great difficulty because once you achieve peace from your worldly problems, you look back onto them to view your accomplishment then end up falling into them again.

Reflection is the true enemy of inner peace, and it was reflection that anchored Mikey to this so called reality.

Reality, this dark place where nothing moved. Where he couldn't tell if his eyes were opened or closed. It was so silent he felt as if he were trapped inside of his own empty mind. He couldn't escape because there was nothing to escape from, so thoughts instead plundered him and overwhelmed him.

Ever since they left earth, not one day, one day seemed real to him. It had all been a mix between a nightmare and this state right now. He missed being grounded, having a familiar sense. He missed the world he left behind.

That longing to return to a normal day, to see April, Casey and Master Splinter was indescribable. To just be done with this whole thing. To think for one second, _I'm safe, nothing can hurt me now._

Mikey had never been the greatest at meditation before. And his spiritual bonds were the lowest of the family, at least that's what Splinter would disappointingly admit. He knew he was no where close to that meditative state the would need to be in to conserve oxygen. And he was consuming his own way to fast, if he kept breathing like this he would run out of air long before his brothers, and a long long time before any rescue would appear._  
><em>

Rescue, Mikey bit his lip at the thought. He stubbornly refused his thoughts to think it was all hopeless. They had come to far, worked to hard to die like this. And not just in the last few weeks, but their whole lives. Lives that were constantly threatened to be taken away be some hated enemy.

Mikey scuffed, _well at least if we die here we weren't killed by anyone who hates, but instead a stupid mistake._

He knew they deserved to die the most though. They brought this whole thing upon the Titan. They awakened the monster and rewrote many destinies to die on this night.

For all the pain and suffering they caused they deserved the cruelest of punishments.

He knew because he had been watching it all his life, that if you are a bad enough person, you will eventually, get punished, in the worst and most unexpected way.

Maybe God was the one who saw to it, or maybe it was fate, but no one could ever escape their crimes without scars. The fact that there was only three breathers was proof that the turtles would not get out unscathed.

It was the perfect punishment. Because even if three of them did live to see another day, they would have to live without the fourth. And normally that by itself was bad enough. To have someone who was with you all the time for all the life you had known, suddenly snatched away from you was tragic. But to know you only lived because they died was insufferable.

No matter what, if three ever got out even if they managed to over come the hurt, they'd never escape the guilt. Thousands of ghosts were already over their shoulders, but they did nothing but sigh and shame one. That one however that was dead because of a sacrifice, for your mistake. That will patronize you until your dying day.

Mikey felt the hand next to him, Leo. Mikey could read his last thoughts perfectly. Sure on the outside he gave the breather to Mikey because of the turtles unfocused mind and last of endurance. And because he of the four could last the longest without oxygen.

But Mikey knew Leo thought that only three of them would live. He saw the desperation in his eyes, he was thinking the same thing, we have to pay for this somehow.

Naturally since he was the eldest and most responsible and mature, he would make the sacrifice. It made so much sense that Mikey didn't even try to stop him and accepted it. Now that was a scary place, accepting his brother's death before it even happened.

A new thought appeared in Mikey's head just as he was squeezing Leo's hand. _ Maybe I've been going about this all wrong, maybe everything that happened to us was fate, father always said destiny worked out in funny ways. Maybe only having three breathers was more then just a coincidence and maybe this moment is also a part of fate._

Yes, because of Mikey's poor meditation skills he now had a choice. He could decide which way this story would end, which brother he would lose.

He imagined his brothers' unmoving bodies around him. This was not a decision he could not make with his heart, or any kind of humane attachment or affection for life. This was something that had to be done with pure logic and reason.

At this moment there was no right or wrong, if there had ever been, only opinion.

Leo was the stable one in the family, the strongest and the wisest. He had been caring for them all of his life. He made the hard decisions, fought he hardest battles, and kept the fight up for however long was was everything that everyone shrunk down from because it was to hard to be, responsible, selfless, controlled. He was somebody who if they got rid of then everyone would have to step up and take responsibility themselves.

And then there was him, the youngest brother. He may not have been as observant as his elders, but he was not ignorant either He knew they all took turns protecting him. For all of his life his siblings had been going through all the fights for him, keeping him strong, helping him with the decisions. He gave them a reason to stay in their right minds and to endure. He was their responsibility.

Mikey had never analyzed his family so much before, but this stuff was always in the back of their minds, and no one had ever been blunt enough to just lay it out. But now that it was Mikey still found he could make no such decision. Losing the eldest or the youngest would both have equalizing blows on the family.

If he had made the switch again with Leo there was no chance they would ever forgive him for leaving them. They had made it very clear back at the Titan, losing the youngest wasn't an option.

But for the first time in his life, he didn't care. The decision was his and his alone, his brothers missed out. He had to prove to them and himself that he was cable of independence, that he didn't need his brothers to be strong for him.

_I'm going to hell for this,_ he thought.

But there was no logical, or right answer here. It just came right down to the grind, losing either himself or Leo would be devastating, but unfortunately for Leo he was the one conscious and he got the decision.

He knew the eldest wasn't dead and that there was still time. His hand was freezing but only on the outside, when Mikey pressed down hard enough he could feel a little warmth that meant life and determination.

Mikey released his squeeze of Leo's hand gently and slowly. Movement was a hard thing to do with little oxygen. Then managed to chock out the breather and stuck it in between his brother's lips.

Mikey licked his lip and could almost see Leo's still face liven just a little bit as he drew a long slow breath. He was lucky the other was in such a deep meditative state that he noticed none of this.

Mikey re gripped his hand and tried to get himself once again in a trance. And even though his lungs were quickly burning from lack of oxygen it was a lot easier for him to reach a state of mind above reality.

He thought for awhile of the past, of wonderful aspects about each of his brothers. Then finally let the voice of optimism resurface in his thoughts.

_Your being ridiculous_, he thought while smiling lightly, _when rescue comes, you'll wake up and feel like this big sentimental loser. The guys will laugh at what you were about to do and you could have saved yourself a head ache._

It was his last thought before he went to sleep eternally.

* * *

><p>It was that bright whiteness that invaded the constant darkness that snapped him out of his trance. Leo opened his eyes and found that he could see a light, bright as a baby's first sight as it comes out of the womb. It blinded him so he blinked and reopened them to get the readjusted.<p>

He tried to locate where the light was coming from. It was beckon of light that circled the area slow and deliberately. Leo followed it to its source, a space ship. Medium sized and bright scouring the area for survivors to rescue.

Rescue.

Rescue, rescue! The words snapped motion into his dormant body.

He looked across and cried out, "Raph wake up there's a ship, Raph!" he voice was croaked and cracked but there was still excitement in it.

He saw Raph's arm twitch, then his whole body come to life. Raph turned and looked at him. He looked awful, face paled and eyes deprived of spark and color.

Raph's eyes studied him thoroughly before his words registered, then they widened.

With life suddenly flowing freely within him he immediately turned to wake up Don and Leo turned to Mikey.

"Mikey," his voice horsed, "There's a ship, rescue", he said as he shook the arm softly.

Mikey didn't move.

"Mikey." he said a little louder and shook him with more strength.

Nothing.

"Mikey, Mikey, Mikey" Using much more strength then he should have he anxious shook his whole body, but the turtle still didn't awaken.

Leo looked over the younger turtle with concern when he noticed something absent in his mouth, and all too present in his own.

In realization Leo felt his stomach drop and he gasped, foolishly. In a reaction of horror he spit out the breather and stuffed it into Mikey's mouth.

He could barely control his desire to pant in order to couple his pounding heart. He stared at Mikey, hard watching for any movement, any sign of life.

He just then noticed Don and Raph watching them, their faces reflected his horror. Then they too surrendered their breathers to the youngest, and prayed, prayed that he would breath.

Seconds went by, all they could hear was their on hearts beating.

"Mikey?" Leo whispered, desperately helplessly one last time.

The youngest still did not move.

If he had had any air he would have sobbed right there, but instead him whimpered, "No, no, no..."

Don squeezed his hand tightly and Leo also looked over to see his face, shrived up in despair and angst.

Raph was holding Mikey's hand indefinitely and looked like he too was ready to give up and die.

Their loyalty was to be proven now. Even with rescue a couple of feet away, it was all or none.

Leo calmed himself and prepared his body to slowly die right there with his brothers, but then a very important name came up in his mind, Master Splinter.

The poor rat would loose all of his sons and never know what happened to them. He would live the rest of his days in cruel hope and unknowing.

_You can't let him go through that, you can't let him go through that,_ Leo told himself ferociously. He looked up to face lifeless Mikey once again and squeezed his hand.

He worked so hard to keep them alive, and now the one thing out of their control had killed that goal. Their little brother, the foolish one with the jokes, the one with the dreams, the one heart, was gone forever. He would float cold and dead wherever space would carry him.

Leo gripped his hand harder then ever, He couldn't let that happen, Mikey was one of four, he couldn't be by himself. He couldn't do this alone.

_Why? Why did this happen? All they were trying to do was a good thing for April. Why out of everyone did Mikey have to pay? He didn't even want a part of this, all he wanted was to go home._

_Can't go home without Mikey, he screamed to himself._

_Master Splinter doesn't deserve to loose four sons._

_Mikey didn't deserve to die!_

_There's nothing you can do about that now..._

Leo closed his eyes so hard and whispered something that Mikey couldn't have heard even if he were alive.

"I'm so sorry, Mikey, I'm so sorry, I love you."

With that he gave the hand last squeeze and then let go of it forever.

Raph looked up at him like he was crazy, but Leo shot back a look of reason. Raph turned to Mikey then back to with a glare Leo and determinedly tightened his grip on his little brother.

Leo gave him a look of sympathy, desperation and understanding, then mouthed, let go.

Raph stared at him, he face grunted up like he would cry, but finally sighed and turned to look upon Mikey one last time. And then, after he had studied and memorized every feature of his face he slowly, slowly released his hand.

Gravity took it part and started drifting him out of sight and way too fast.

It was the last time Donatello, Raphael, and Leonardo ever saw their little brother.

They stared at him until he had faded into the blackness and gone for good.

* * *

><p>In autopilot now, Leo turned to Don and nodded toward the ship. Don gathered the message and worked on converting the bit of power of the ship into light.<p>

Meanwhile Raph looked dreamily into the darkness, lost in thoughts.

Don pulled a couple wires and undid his previous work to get the lights successfully flickering for a few seconds.

By that time the ship had past by them, but they were still in a fair sight for the back.

Leo and Don stared helpless at it as the lights flicked for the last time then went out. They held whatever breath they had, then the rescue ship turned around.

* * *

><p><strong>AUTHOR'S NOTE- <strong>Woah, okay who saw that coming? I mean I know I threatened to kill them but you didn't think I actually would, unless of course you caught the foreshadowing before and relaized this is the Titanic plot line! Thus had to kill someone who said I'm king of the world! I suppose I could have said deathfic before but who wants to be predictable. So if I surprised you leave a review and if I didn't, well you're too smart for this writer. And this is the last chapter, there's one epilogue left then we can finally finish what we started a year ago!


	25. Epilogue

**AUTHOR'S NOTE- **And I present to you folks the last chapter, something I should have done a month ago, but you know, life. I can't believe it but I finally finished this story, by far the longest its taken ever but better late then never, once gain this has been a blast and I hope this has been the epic conclusion you've been waiting for.

**DISCLAIMER**- in case you are slow, unobservant or just plain stupid I'll say it again, I do not own Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

* * *

><p>6<p>

Out of the thousands of passengers that plunged into the unknown darkness, 6 were rescued. Leo, Raph and Don being half of them.

In retrospect they were lucky, extremely lucky. They only lost one when they could have lost a lot more. Out of all the survivors the lost the least, and that fact was just mocking them.

A mother of seven lost all of hers when they were sucked into he black hole, a father had to let go of his wife and children as well, and a child who was taken away from her parents and never would see them again.

These survivors were now all alone, and the weight of despair thoroughly crushed the relief of survival.

They sat in a room together, all of them. Their time without any oxygen should have killed them, but with a stroke of luck on all of their accounts, it didn't. But they all could unanimously agree that it was not luck that had saved them.

They were alone together for weeks. Each in critical states. Their lungs were far to strained to take in all necessary air at once, so the doctors put them each on leveled oxygen.

"The chemical and physical strains on your bodies from the overlong exposure to the radiation makes each of you very fragile, we will help you as much as we can but you must also fight as well." the doctors advised, but they came as hollow sounds to the survivors.

No one had the fight to continue on, they were all at the end of the marathon but lacking the strength to pull through the last few feet, which also happened to be the most challenging of the whole race.

The mother died first, not to anyone's shock. The doctors were force nourishing her and putting her on as many drugs as they could, but her fighting soul was long gone and her body had soon followed.

The father was next, but by his own hand. On his last night he was sitting in silence with the turtles, glaring at the three of them. Perhaps he recognized them from the ship, or maybe he was jealous they still had each other, either way he stared at them for two long hours with a look of hatred and disgust. The next morning he was found dead after an overdose of the drugs that were supposed to save him.

This however had no impact on any of them. They were probably the most hated beings in the galaxy, but that hardly mattered. As soon as they had let go of Mikey they had entered an autopilot state and never came out.

Running now on pure animal instinct, they ate when they could, they slept when they had to and talked to no one, even amongst themselves.

Don wasn't sure what silenced him or his brothers, but he knew it wasn't self pity, they were all the least deserving of that. It wasn't guilt either, because when you at times have too much of something, even pain or sadness, it eventually starts hurting you and becomes a part of you .

Personally what kept him quiet was the irony of it all. All of the events that had lead them there. They had been so unsuspecting, so ignorant before. Especially him, it was his fault and his fault alone that this had all happened. With his curiosity he killed his own brother and thousands of other innocent beings. Regret was with him all the time, in each of his steps, plagued all of his thoughts.

He more then anyone dreaded the return home the most. Home meant confession, reality, and mourning. Things he had been spared from thus far. But he was in no position to be asking for any kind of mercy.

* * *

><p>It had been on full year and two months since the turtles had left after the thieves. It had been fourteen months of searching, desperation and hopelessness for those they had left behind. It had been exactly four hundred and twenty four days since Master Splinter last saw his sons safe and happy and was in a calm state of mind.<p>

He was on the floor meditating, resting after a long night of searching with Casey once again, when they walked through the door.

Just like that, so simply, all he did was look up and there they were. At first he thought it was a dream, a cruel dream mocking his reality, but one fact changed all of it, there were only three of four that stood before them.

He stood up, slowly cautiously and walked towards Leo. He was half the size of when he last left home. His face and eyes were dull and grey. He looked exhausted, and was covered in bandages and bruises. He looked like a shadow of his former self, but at that moment it was the most wonderful sight the old rat ever saw.

He stroked a furry paw gently around his son's face.

"Master..." he started.

But Splinter interrupted him by throwing his arms around him and releasing a cry of joy and relief. Leo bit his lip, refusing to let himself spoil what last minute of ignorant joy his father had and returned the embrace as well. For a moment he was almost happy.

Master Splinter repeated his welcome with Don and Raph as well, no words were exchanged, and the only cries came from Splinter.

Once he released Raph, happiness still shining his eyes he turned toward Leo, "Where's Michelangelo?" he sputtered.

Leo thought he could do this, he thought ignorantly he could say these words to his father but he couldn't, he looked away in shame and heartbreak.

Leo missed it, but Raph and Don sure didn't. The look of their father's face from heavenly happiness to one of extreme despair and unbelief. He turned to Don, mouthing the question again, but in his eyes he knew the answer.

Don looked back hard, clinched his fist and shook his head.

* * *

><p>They received similar reactions from April and Casey. At first April nearly cried in joy and relief, and Casey gathered them up in a tight bear hug, laughing in relief. And then when they heard the news they were quiet and once again they turtles left a silent room.<p>

Master Splinter didn't get to long to mourn for his fourth son, since the others needed him so desperately. They had each given up and it took weeks for Splinter to get them to say their first words, and and much longer for them to finally tell the story of what happened.

But after months of persistence and patience, the turtles finally returned into some state of normality. Their physical form had been quiet simple to fix, all things considering. And they were eventually in the physical condition of the turtles that had left one year ago, minus one. Mentally however they were permanently scared.

* * *

><p>April waited three months until she forced herself back to the sewers. Three months way too long she told herself. But she couldn't help it, after all she put then through returning to see them was the worst kind of torture.<p>

On the walk from the apartment she was shaking like a leaf, and not because of the winter winds. She tightly held an envelope in her hands and her face was white in fear.

Three days after the turtles left after the thieves she knew something was wrong. So she, Splinter and Casey banned together to go search for them. Even at that time she felt guilty, for making all of them go through this because of her, and after a couple of months she was mad with regret and self loathing. Taking away Splinter's four sons was the worst guilt, or so she one thought. When they had returned forgiveness had been for a moment a possibility, but then she relaized it was worse then she previously imagined.

She had killed one of them and made hollow zombies out of the rest. They weren't dead but they wanted to be. Every time she saw them she went back to a place of insufferable self loathing and found her self hysterically crying under her bed sheets. Forcing herself to confront them now made her heart pound with dread.

But April already convinced herself she was an awful person. She knew forgiveness was never going to happen either. It was bad enough she waited so long to confront them after the nightmare she put them through, but she was doing it for a reason that even disgusted herself. But she couldn't help it.

Finally she found herself underground in front of their empty home, which for so long became a tomb for them. Now she didn't know what to call it.

With a shaky hand she knocked on the door making a weak hardly audible sound. However Leo still anwsered it. He greeted her with a face of slight surprise but other wise emotionless. Pleasantries were a waste of breath and therefor not said.

"May I speak to Don?" she whispered.

Leo tuned to a dark corner where Don decided to take refuge an nodded slowly.

April with her head down dragged herself in. She took a long look at the turtle on the shadows then sighed and turned to Leo.

"This came for your father," she said head still down "It came a couple of weeks ago but I never got the chance to give it to him."

She handed him the envelope, now wrinkled from her holding it so long and went over to Don.

Leo turned it over and his eyes widened at the sight of the sender, Mikey. He looked at the date, it was the day of the sinking, Don had calculated it for them, probably of the last letters sent that morning.

Without a second thought he ripped the envelope and nearly cried. It was the picture they had taken on the Titan, the picture Mikey had tricked them into.

_We were all so ignorant of what was to come, _he thought and slowly ran a finger over Mikey's image. The turned the picture around, and there was the note.

_Dear Sensai,_

_I know it's probably been awhile since we ran after those crazy weirdos who stole April's box thingy, but I just wanted to assure you that we're all good and all together. We even managed to get that box thing back from the pirates. So much has happened since we last saw you, and I don't have time to write it all. But I just wanted to tell you that we're on our way home and will be there soon, all of us._

_PS- The picture of us is holographic, its so cool!_

_Love Mikey, Leo, Raph, and Donnie... um well okay they didn't write this but I know they'd want me to tell you that._

Leo tore the picture and note into as small pieces as he could. He went outside briefly to throw the remains down the sewage canals. And immediately returned home and locked himself in his room.

* * *

><p>April approached the turtle slowly, she hated herself for what she was about to do but the curiosity was driving her mad.<p>

"Don," she said in a small voice, he turtle barely acknowledged her presence,"What do you think happened to the Mors Nigra?"

Don was still for a long instant, then looked at April with hatred and regret, "What happened to it was that it did what it was made to do, cause despair and angst. I know from studying it, that thing was made out of hatred and cursed anyone who came in contact with it. After destroying the whole galaxy, it probably went off again in search of a new victim to torment."

April bit her lip, what did she release into the world? "Do you think something like this will happen again?" she whispered.

Don looked back down to his fingers, "We can hope not April, we can pray that the cursed thing is never found again, but just because we want don't something to happen, doesn't mean it won't."

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note- <strong>And there you have it folks, the end of my second TMNT story. And sadly it may be my last. I regret to say I have lost my TMNT interest, an finished this story solely because I believe I was responsible to do so. And I apologize sincerely for the numerous time spans between updates, I don't want to go through that again. Bu even though I lost passion for TMNT I will never forget it, and hopefully the stuff I learned here will help enhance my writing in the future. Who knows maybe I'll like the reversion enough to come back, but until then farewell and for the last time please review.


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